Harrison Ford has revealed just how much his starring role in 1923 resonated with him during production. Ford stars as Jacob Dutton in the Yellowstone prequel series, where Jacob and his wife Cara, played by Helen Mirren, try to keep the Yellowstone Ranch afloat during a period of great economic hardship in American history. The series premiere for 1923 was an instant hit for Paramount+, garnering 7.4 million viewers on the streaming service and in previews on the Paramount channel.
In an interview with THR, Ford reveals that he felt a surprising connection to his role in 1923 thanks to creator Taylor Sheridan’s writing for each episode. Citing the ownership of his own ranch in Wyoming, Ford explained how little details in Sheridan’s scripts resonated with him on a personal level. Check out Ford’s full statement below:
When Taylor and I first met face-to-face, there was no script because he didn’t want to write a script for people that are going to turn him down. But there are things in the scripts that I never would’ve anticipated that are emotionally consistent with things that have happened in my life. So when I was reading it, I was thinking, ‘What the f***?’
They’re little things. I’m not going to tell you what they are. But he talks about turning a natural place into a city and the consequences to nature and for people that live there. He talks about it with real understanding and real complexity. I’m struck by how consistent it is with what I think — or what I might have thought were I a rancher with the same personality in 1923.
Why 1923 Is A Popular Entry In The Yellowstone Universe
Ford’s personal connection to the way Sheridan writes 1923 is a testament to the dedication the series’ creator has put into crafting a world for his series that feels real and familiar to both audiences and the actors in the show. The praise Ford gives 1923 shows how much he enjoys leading the series and how he understands Jacob Dutton on a deeper level.
Yellowstone has grown into one of the most popular shows on cable television and its offshoots see similar popularity so it’s hard not to imagine this authenticity playing a part in it. Because 1923 explores the backstory of the Duttons during the early days of the Great Depression, the series adds a unique spin on the similar basis of conflicts surrounding the Ranch. This also explains why 1923 season 2 was renewed halfway through season 1.
Ford’s praise of the show indicates that future series in the Yellowstone universe headed by Sheridan will also try to capture a level of accuracy within their dramatized tales. This includes Bass Reeves, a spinoff centered around the real-life first Black deputy US marshal, and 6666, centered on the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas. The way Sheridan was able to make 1923 resonate with Ford is a good sign for the future of the series and for the quality of the Yellowstone universe moving forward.
