Why These Yellowstone Actors Look So Familiar

Television's undisputed No. 1 show, "Yellowstone" tells the saga of the Dutton family, owners of the largest cattle ranch in America. When series creator Taylor Sheridan pitched the show — which he originally intended to be a movie — he described the concept to The Hollywood Reporter as "'The Godfather' in Montana." 

As viewers will attest, that's a pretty apt description of a show centered around tough-as-nails patriarch John Dutton (played by Oscar-winner Kevin Costner) and his cunning and crafty offspring. When the show returned in November 2024 with the second half of its fifth (and possibly final) season, that episode garnered the highest-ever "Yellowstone" ratings, with a total viewing audience of more than 16 million tuning in to learn the fate of Costner's character (spoiler alert: he parted ways with the show in 2023 and is not seen in the season's remaining episodes).

If you're enthralled by the exploits at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, you might just be curious about the actors who bring the show's characters to life. Here's a look at some of their earlier work, explaining why they probably look so familiar.

Since the debut of "Yellowstone" in 2018, the show has been anchored by Kevin Costner. Costner famously separated from the show, ostensibly due to scheduling issues surrounding his big-screen passion project, "Horizon: An American Saga." Costner first came to the attention of moviegoers in 1985, making his mark in a trio of movies — "Fandango," "Silverado," and "American Flyers" — which led to starring roles. In fact, the latter half of the '80s was arguably his most successful period as a box office draw, replete with such box-office hits as "The Untouchables," "Bull Durham," and "Field of Dreams." Other high points in Costner's Hollywood career have included "The Bodyguard," "Tin Cup," and TV miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys." 

Costner's biggest onscreen triumph was the 1990 western "Dances with Wolves," in which he made his directorial debut in addition to starring. The film went on to receive 12 Oscar nominations, winning seven — including Best Director and Best Picture.

Interestingly, Costner didn't originally intend to step behind the camera for what became his silver-screen magnum opus. "I actually asked three other directors to direct it before me," he recalled in a 2024 interview with Deadline. Each of those directors, he said, wanted to leave out part of the story that he felt to be a crucial component. "I finally directed it by default," he explained. "What I knew was, I wasn't as good as any of those other directors. But I wasn't gonna leave anything out."

It may surprise you to learn that when the cameras aren't rolling, "Yellowstone" actor Kelly Reilly doesn't actually speak with an American accent, as she's British. Before portraying the feisty and fierce Beth Dutton, Reilly was busy cutting her teeth in theater and British television — including acting alongside Oscar-winner Helen Mirren in the hit U.K. crime drama "Prime Suspect" when she was just 17. 

Since crossing the pond to launch her career in Hollywood, Reilly has appeared in numerous films and TV projects, including HBO's "True Detective," and, perhaps most notably, the Guy Ritchie-directed "Sherlock Holmes" movies. Her role as governess Mary Morstan, the eventual wife of Jude Law's Dr. Watson, not only put her on Hollywood's radar but brought Reilly some unwanted attention. Tabloid reports claimed that she was having a fling with Ritchie, which was said to be a key factor in the director's divorce from his then-wife, pop icon Madonna. However, Reilly set the record straight when interviewed by The Guardian in 2011.

Reilly confirmed the rumors were false and revealed that they'd completely taken her by surprise. "All that was ridiculous nonsense," she said, admitting that being falsely portrayed in the tabloids as "the other woman" was tough on her. "It was the first time anything like that had ever happened to me and I didn't cope with it very well at all," she added.

Standing alongside Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton is her husband, Dutton family fixer Rip Wheeler, portrayed by actor Cole Hauser. Prior to being cast in "Yellowstone," Hauser was already a familiar face to film and television viewers, particularly for his starring role opposite Thandiwe Newton in crime drama "Rogue."

On the big screen, Hauser's credits have run the gamut, including such sequels "A Good Day to Die Hard," "Olympus Has Fallen," and "2 Fast 2 Furious." Among his earlier films of note are "School Ties" (his film debut) and "Dazed and Confused." Hauser considers his big break to be the 1997 Oscar-winner "Good Will Hunting," in which he played Billy McBride — friend of Matt Damon's character, Will. Hauser actually got the part because he'd become friendly with Damon and co-star Ben Affleck, who co-wrote the "Good Will Hunting" script, after they'd appeared together in "School Ties."

Despite all the years that have passed, Hauser still views "Good Will Hunting" as a watershed moment in his career — although he didn't necessarily feel that at the time. "You know, I don't remember walking out of the theater and going, "That's the best film I've ever been a part of,'" Hauser recalled in an interview with BUILD Series. "It was one of the most exciting and fun experiences, and to be able to see my friends win an Academy Award for something that we all gave our heart and soul to, was pretty special." 

Fans of "Yellowstone" recognize Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, a former Navy SEAL and youngest son of John Dutton. Grimes is hardly a newcomer to Hollywood; his screen credits extend back to the mid-2000s, with highlights including recurring TV roles in the family drama "Brothers & Sisters," and HBO's over-the-top vampire series "True Blood." Grimes has also appeared in several movies, most memorably "American Sniper" and "The Magnificent Seven." All of that led to his most memorable role prior to "Yellowstone": Elliot Grey, older brother of Jamie Dornan's Christian Grey in "Fifty Shades of Grey" and its sequels.

Acting isn't Grimes' only creative endeavor. In 2024, he officially launched himself as a country music artist with the release of his eponymous debut album, "Luke Grimes." Discussing his foray into music while appearing on "CBS Morning," Grimes didn't draw as much of a distinction between acting and music as one might think. "I think it's the same reason I like films and television, is stories," he explained, "I think songs are sort of mini stories, and country music especially, the lyrics really mean something, and they've always helped me sort of get through my own life."

Wes Bentley landed the role of a lifetime when he was cast as Jamie Dutton, ambitious politician and adopted son of John Dutton, but by no means was he a Hollywood neophyte prior to that. He's been a fixture in film and television, having landed roles in such films as "The Hunger Games," "Interstellar" and "Mission: Impossible – Fallout." On the small screen, he's appeared in three seasons of "American Horror Story." 

Bentley's big break came way back in 1999, when he was cast as the next-door neighbor Ricky Fitts in "America Beauty." While the film's success landed him squarely on Hollywood's radar, the instant fame that accompanied it was difficult for him to process, marking the start of both his professional career that was also a very difficult period for him when he felt unprepared for the instant fame he experienced. "It was a blessing as an actor," Bentley told Business Insider. "Personally, it was tough. It was tough to follow up on that. I feel I have a skewed vision of it. It was so weird and felt extreme. I was young and had a lot of big lessons learned, and a lot of that had to do with the attention that came from the movie. At the end of the day, I just didn't know what to do at that moment, as far as dealing with the attention."

"Yellowstone" fans know actor Kelsey Asbille as Monica Dutton, the Native American wife of Kayce Dutton who works as a teacher on the Broken Rock Reservation, where she grew up. "She's an extraordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances," Asbile told W Magazine of her character. "She's a wife, a mother, a teacher. And at the heart of it, the story is really about a strong woman trying to keep her family together."

Asbile has been acting since she was a kid; earning her first screen credit in a 2008 episode of "The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody." Following that, she had recurring roles in The CW's "One Tree Hill" and the Disney Channel series "Pair of Kings," before going on to play werewolf hybrid Tracy Stewart in multiple episodes of "Teen Wolf," and then in a season of FX crime anthology "Fargo."

The years she spent on "One Tree Hill," however, were formative ones for Asbille, who was still in her early teens when she landed the role of Gigi Silveri on the teen drama. "I was 13, and y'all were like these beautiful [women]," Asbille told her former co-stars Hilarie Burton Morgan and Bethany Joy Lenz when appearing on their podcast, "Drama Queens" (via Us Weekly). "I stuffed my bra for the audition," she recalled. "I didn't know at all what I was doing, I was just so happy to be there."

Native American actor Gil Birmingham is well known to "Yellowstone" viewers for his portrayal of Thomas Rainwater, chief of the Broken Rock Reservation. However, he has an expansive roster of screen credits that dates back to the 1980s. On television, Birmingham has had memorable recurring roles in numerous series, including "House of Cards," "Banshee," and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." Among all those roles, though, Birmingham remains most familiar for being part of the cast of "Twilight." In the franchise, he portrayed Billy Black, father of Tyler Lautner's werewolf character, Jacob.

Birmingham came to acting via bodybuilding. "I was fascinated that you could sculpt a body like a piece of sculpture," he explained in an interview with Cowboys & Indians, insisting he never envisioned bodybuilding as a route to a Hollywood career. "I didn't have a dream of becoming a bodybuilder so I could become an actor," he added.

In fact, his segue into the world of acting was a complete fluke. One day, when he was working out in a gym, he was approached to appear alongside several other bodybuilders in a music video for a new Diana Ross single called "Muscles." He enjoyed the experience so much that his then-girlfriend recommended that he take acting lessons. "And I said, 'Hey, I don't know. I don't really have a direction going right now — let's see what this acting thing's about,'" Birmingham recalled. The rest is "Yellowstone" history.

Josh Holloway entered the "Yellowstone" universe in the series' third season, playing rancher and Dutton antagonist Roarke Morris. Speaking with USA Today, Holloway revealed he'd already been a big fan of the show when the opportunity arose to play Roarke. "I would sit down and watch 'Yellowstone' with my wife and I'd be like, 'One day, I'll get a show like this, Babe,'" he said. "And I still can't believe I'm on the show."

While his character didn't last long (Rip Wheeler and a rattlesnake took care of that), Holloway had already built up a significant fan base from the six seasons he spent playing Sawyer on "Lost." While other television projects have included starring roles in the short-lived espionage thriller "Intelligence" and the sci-fi drama "Colony," "Lost" continues to cast a large shadow over Holloway's career.

Interestingly, before hitting it big on "Lost," Holloway had been a male model who dabbled in acting, better known for his chiseled good looks than his acting talent. "I did print work, still-photograph modeling work, for 15 years," he told Vanity Fair back in 2010. "I made a very good living," he said. "I didn't feel so fulfilled, although I did enjoy everything around it."

Ryan Bingham had amassed a few acting credits before being cast in "Yellowstone" as Walker, an ex-con and aspiring country singer. To be fair, acting has never been his main pursuit, given that Bingham has had a successful career as a singer-songwriter going back years. In fact, he fell into acting when he agreed to take on a small role in the 2009 film "Crazy Heart" — for which he produced the music. Not only did that film provide him his screen debut, it led him to win an Oscar when "The Weary Kind," a song he co-wrote for the movie, won for best original song.

Interviewed by CinemaBlend, Bingham revealed that he'd been in touch with Taylor Sheridan prior to "Yellowstone" about the possibility of providing music for Sheridan's 2017 feature film "Wind River." That didn't pan out, but they kept in touch. So when Sheridan was preparing to produce "Yellowstone," he reconnected with Bingham about potentially providing music for "Yellowstone." 

"And after hanging out for a while, he learned that I had a history with rodeo and the cowboy thing," Bingham recalled. "And so he said, 'Heck, I got to write you into this show.' And so that's how that all started."

Eden Brolin had a recurring role in "Yellowstone" as Mia, a rodeo barrel racer. Brolin has been acting professionally for some time, logging her first screen credit in 2015, in the comedy "I Dream Too Much." Subsequent gigs included guest spots in some TV series, including "Code Black," and "The Cleaner." Prior to a multi-episode story arc on the crime comedy "High Desert," Brolin was a series regular in the superhero conspiracy series "Beyond," playing Charlie, who awoke from a coma with the ability to predict the future by using math. Meanwhile, Brolin is also pursuing a parallel career in music, serving as lead singer for the band Atta Boy.

Brolin, for those who haven't guessed, is the daughter of actor Josh Brolin, and granddaughter of James Brolin — who is married to Hollywood icon Barbra Streisand. Given that she comes from a long line of actors, a family full of Hollywood heavyweights, it was somewhat inevitable that she'd pursue acting herself. "It was something that I had grown up around a little bit, but in pretty limited capacity," she explained in an interview with Cryptic Rock. "I think there was a curiosity; it was just sort of like a little fire that was stoked with just kind of slowly learning more and more about it."

Jefferson White has become a "Yellowstone" fan favorite as Jimmy Hurdstram, a ranch hand with a checkered past who was literally branded by John Dutton. Since his first screen credit in 2014 — a small role in FX drama "The Americans" — he's gone on to appear in numerous films and TV series. On television, he's guest starred in series such as "Elementary," "Blue Bloods" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and has held recurring roles in "Manhattan," "How to Get Away with Murder," and "House of Cards." Meanwhile, White made quite an impression on viewers of NBC crime drama "Chicago P.D." when he portrayed sex trafficker Sean O'Neal in a multi-episode arc. 

For White, the experience of being part of the television juggernaut that is "Yellowstone" has been overwhelming. "To be honest, it's silly to say, or perhaps obvious to say, but it rocks," he shared in an interview with Screen Rant. "It feels so cool to be on a show that people really like. That's an amazing feeling."

White is also host of "The Official Yellowstone Podcast." "That's been an amazing gift too," he continued, describing how conducting in-depth interviews with his co-stars has brought him just as much insight about them as it has for the podcast's listeners. "Those conversations are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for me to learn from those actors and I think that it's a really interesting podcast if you're a fan of 'Yellowstone,'" he explained. 

In addition to being the creator of "Yellowstone," Taylor Sheridan is responsible for two spin-offs (with more on the way), and a cavalcade of other TV shows, including "The Mayor of Kingstown," "Tulsa King," and "Special Ops: Lioness," to highlight just a few. On "Yellowstone," he's not just the series' creator, showrunner, and writer — he has also acted on the show in the recurring role of rodeo impresario Travis Wheatley. 

It's not surprising that Sheridan wrote himself a part in the show, given that he began his career as an actor; however, his acting career had hit such a low point that he had $800 in his bank account when he sold his first script. "I was a fair actor, but that's all I was ever going to be," Sheridan explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, recalling that while he struggled on the screen, his scripts sparked network bidding wars. "Hollywood will tell you what you're supposed to do if you listen," Sheridan explained. "If you're banging your head against the wall for 20 years trying to be an actor, maybe you shouldn't be an actor."