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Saura Lightfoot-Leon and Derek Hinkey are two foes who find an underlying respect for one another in American Primeval. The Netflix Western miniseries continues Lightfoot-Leon's rise to stardom on screen following her breakout turn in the acclaimed drama Hoard, in which she co-starred with fellow rising actor Joseph Quinn, having also appeared in the hit Apple TV+ war miniseries Masters of the Air and Showtime's spy thriller The Agency. The show also marks Hinkey's biggest role to date, with the actor having previously delivered supporting turns in Walker: Independence and Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1.
Lightfoot-Leon stars in American Primeval as Abish, the new wife to Mormon Jacob Pratt, who is venturing to territory in Utah to join their parish. Hinkey stars in the show as Red Feather, a warrior of the local Paiute tribe who carries out an attack on the Mountain Meadows camp where Abish and Jacob were residing, taking her as a captive and leaving Jacob for dead. Unlike the other captives, Abish is kept alive by Red Feather, though still as a prisoner, being introduced to the ways of his tribe, all while they test each other's resolves.
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Alongside Lightfoot-Leon and Hinkey, the ensemble American Primeval cast includes Mrs. Davis' Betty Gilpin, Painkiller's Taylor Kitsch, Oppenheimer's Dane DeHaan as Jacob, The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning's Shea Whigham, Kim Coates and Preston Mota, among others. Delivering both a shocking and brutal depiction of the American Old West, as well as a balanced portrayal of both sides of the conflict, the show is a captivating look back in time from director Peter Berg and writer Mark L. Smith.
Ahead of the show's release, ScreenRant interviewed Saura Lightfoot-Leon to discuss American Primeval, finding the "yin-and-yang" dynamic of Abish and Red Feather's relationship, why the nature of Abish and Jacob's marriage and relationship is more complicated than whether they loved each other, and Hinkey's pride in donning his character's attire and representing his Native heritage.
Abish & Red Feather's Dynamic Was All About "The Balance" & "The Duality"
"It's like a dance."
ScreenRant: It is great to get to chat with you both for American Primeval. I watched the show over the weekend, and it was just such an intense, such a powerful ride from start to finish. Saura, if you'd like to start with this one, and then Derek, one of the big things I love about this show is Abish and Red Feather's dynamic. It is one where there seems to be a respect between them, even though it is sort of a captor-captive relationship. What was that like for each of you, finding that dynamic and that rhythm with one another?
Saura Lightfoot-Leon: Yeah, definitely from the beginning, I think I always saw it as a yin-and-yang sort of relationship. They complement each other, even though both of the characters are from very different backgrounds. You see this with them, this chemistry that they have. It's like a dance. And Abish is a captive, but it certainly doesn't feel that way the further you go into the show, and you get to see two human beings form a connection and push each other and exist, one next to the other. It's a beautiful relationship, something that I don't think you get to see a lot of, but yeah, it's the forming of the relationship that's really special.
Derek Hinkey: Yeah, man, it definitely was the balance, it was that duality. I think Red Feather was just going this direction, and then he's seen Abish, and had super respect for her, for her defiance and her bravery. It just brings a balance out of this man. He's kind of in an imbalance, because of what war has done to him, and she's brought him back down to being a human being. It's a real cool respect. I think, for me, it was a purity of intent there, just watching Abish work and then reacting to that.
Abish & Jacob's Relationship May Not Be Based On Love (But That Doesn't Mean It Couldn't Form)
"Marriage wasn't always, especially in Mormonism, based off of being in love."
So, Saura, I'll turn back to you for this one. Obviously, as we start, with Dane DeHaan's Jacob, there does seem to be an uncertainty with one another. Do you feel that Abish had genuine love and affection for Jacob, or was there something else there?
Saura Lightfoot-Leon: Yeah, so you meet her as a pious Mormon wife who's in this marriage that has kind of very quickly happened. I don't think it's as black and white as she doesn't love him. I think life is complicated, she's trying to find her purpose, and she respects him a lot. I think that was always very important for me was to make sure I got through that she respects him for the man he is. But that doesn't necessarily mean she's in love with him.
Marriage wasn't always, especially in Mormonism, based off of being in love. It's a different matter. But that doesn't mean love doesn't exist. It also doesn't mean love can't form out of being together and fighting for something that they both believe in. But I do think that then she gets taken out, and she gets thrown into a very different existence, and finding herself first.
Hinkey Representing His Native Heritage "Touched My Soul"
"...that just reinforced [my son] to be proud of who he is."
Derek, I'll turn to you next. I was just talking with Julie about how important representation was in the show. Red Feather has such a striking appearance with the war paint, with his outfit. What was it like for you to get into all that and then to see yourself when you finally did?
Derek Hinkey: It was definitely powerful. I've always been taught to represent my people in a strong, good way, and to be able to do that on a world stage, I really can't put words into that. I think the other day, my son got to watch the series with me a little bit, and I had my hair braided, and he's got super long hair too, but he looked at me, and he's like, "Dad, you look bada--." That touched my soul, that just reinforced to be proud of who he is.
About American Primeval
This is America…1857. Up is down, pain is everywhere, innocence and tranquility are losing the battle to hatred and fear. Peace is the shrinking minority, and very few possess grace — even fewer know compassion. There is no safe haven in these brutal lands, and only one goal matters: survival. American Primeval is a fictionalized dramatization and examination of the violent collision of culture, religion, and community as men and women fight and die to keep or control this land.
From director/executive producer Pete Berg, writer/creator/executive producer Mark L. Smith, and executive producers Eric Newman and Alex Gayner, American Primeval stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, and Shea Whigham. Julie O'Keefe is Indigenous Cultural Consultant and Project Advisor. Artisans include: Hovia Edwards-Yellowjohn (Shoshone Bannock-Navajo), Pete Yellowjohn (Shoshone Bannock), Georgette Running Eagle (Shoshone Bannock), Robert Perry (Shoshone Bannock), Kugee Supernaw (Quapaw and Osage) and Son Supernaw (Quapaw-Osage and Caddo), Joe Cheshawalla (Osage) Debbie Cheshawalla (Choctaw), Molly Murphy Adams (Oglala Lakota).
Stay tuned for our other American Primeval interviews with:
- Betty Gilpin & Taylor Kitsch
- Dane DeHaan & Kim Coates
- Peter Berg & Julie O'Keefe
American Primeval begins streaming on Netflix on January 9.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
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American Primeval is a Netflix limited series that follows the lives of several men and women in the middle of the expansion of the American West. Social dynamics clash as men and women battle for a piece of the new world against rivals and each other.
Release Date January 9, 2025
Network Netflix
Cast Taylor Kitsch , Jai Courtney , Dane DeHaan , Betty Gilpin , Nick Hargrove , Kyle Bradley Davis , Derek Hinkey , Saura Lightfoot Leon , Preston Mota , Shawnee Pourier , Joe Tippett
Character(s) Isaac , Sara Rowell , Gant , Buffalo Run , Jacob Pratt , Abish Pratt , Red Feather , James Wolsey , Virgil Cutter , Two Moons , Jim Bridger
Creator(s) Peter Berg , Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith
Producers Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith
Seasons 1
Writers Peter Berg , Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith
Directors Peter Berg
English (US) ·