During Friday night’s Los Angeles premiere of 1923, the cast and crew opened up about working for series creator Taylor Sheridan. 1923 is the latest addition to the expanding Yellowstone universe. Per Paramount+, the series will look at “the early 20th century, when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition, and the Great Depression all plague the Mountain West, and the Duttons who call it home.” The anticipated Yellowstone prequel stars Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford as Cara and Jacob Dutton. The Hollywood Reporter spoke with the respected actors about Sheridan. Mirren said:

Ford talked about some of Sheridan’s other talents, adding:

“He’s fabulously hands-off. He presents the script, and it’s so extraordinary that you don’t want to change a word. You want to do it exactly as it’s written because it’s written with incredible precision but without being labored. To be able to be a part of a franchise in a world that is so singular on American television is very exciting. There’s nothing else quite like it."

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Other cast and crew echoed those sentiments during the premiere, calling Sheridan “talented,” “brilliant,” and “empathetic.” Sheridan’s Yellowstone empire includes the original series, prequels 1883 and 1923, and an upcoming spinoff titled 6666, currently in the works. Unfortunately, Sheridan was not at the event to hear his team sing his praises, and 101 Studios CEO David Glasser, who has worked on several series with Sheridan, informed attendees:

“He’s an incredible horseman. He’s a genuine athlete, and that’s something you might not expect to find in such a talented writer and intellectual thinker.”

“He’s in a hotel room in Las Vegas right now cutting future episodes of this show. Taylor is one of those people that, at the end of the day, is really good in his element. He loves being on the ranch, living the ranch life and writing — that’s where he’s most comfortable. It’s his cathartic way of doing everything, and when he’s in that zone, he’s great.”

The Dutton Family Saga

     Paramount Network

Viewers were introduced to the Dutton family on Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018. Now in its fifth season, the series stars Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, and Wes Bentley as the Dutton family, owners of Montana’s largest cattle ranch. 1883, Yellowstone’s first spinoff was released last year as a limited series that starred Sam Elliot, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw.

1923 premieres on Paramount+ on December 18. The show’s renowned cast, led by Mirren and Ford, will likely draw in new fans of the Yellowstone sphere. Mirren and Ford are respected actors with impressive film credits: Mirren was the recipient of an Academy Award in 2006 for Peter Morgan’s The Queen, while Ford was nominated for an Academy Award for 1985’s Witness. The series also stars Marley Shelton, Michelle Randolph, James Badge Dale, Brian Geraghty, Darren Mann, Aminah Nieves, Jerome Flynn, Sebastian Roché, Tim DeKay, Julia Schlaepfer, Jennifer Ehle and Timothy Dalton. 1923 was renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere. The second season, just like the first, will include eight episodes.

Sheridan’s portfolio on Paramount+ goes beyond the Dutton family; he is also behind the crime thriller Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, which was recently renewed for a second season. In addition, he has three other series under development for the network: Lioness, Bass Reeves, and Land Man.