While it can be argued that the success of “Yellowstone” is directly tied to viewers wanting to watch a living legend like Kevin Costner take command of the small screen, there’s also a case to be made for the stellar ensemble cast that series creator Taylor Sheridan assembled. From Kelly Reilly as bad girl Beth to Cole Hauser as hunky ranch hand Rip Wheeler, the Paramount Network’s runaway hit series weaves a captivating tale of modern-day cowboys and the daily struggles of running the largest cattle ranch in the contiguous United States.
One of those cast members that helps flesh out the show is Jefferson White as fan favorite Jimmy Hurdstrom, who went from career criminal to lovable cattleman when he joined the Dutton family business in Season 1 of “Yellowstone.” White, who also hosts the weekly “Official Yellowstone Podcast,” gets to work closely with Costner, who plays ranch owner/patriarch John Dutton, and has formed a unique relationship with the illustrious actor, which he discussed during a recent exclusive interview with Looper.
Jefferson White is ‘a little bit afraid of’ Kevin Costner
“Jimmy’s relationship to John Dut ton is exactly like my relationship to Kevin Costner,” says White of his “Yellowstone” co-star. “Jimmy looks up to John, and he’s constantly trying to learn from him. He has tremendous respect for him, yet he is a little bit afraid of him. And that’s exactly how I feel about Kevin. He’s the nicest guy in the world. He’s much nicer and kinder than John Dutton, but I still can’t help but be a little bit of afraid of him all the time. I mean, he’s a legend and a genius.”
While White sees Costner as the heart of the show who’s “really muscling it forward in such an impressive way,” he also attributes the success of “Yellowstone” to the entirety of the cast.
“We’re so lucky to have such a rich and full ensemble cast, and I think that speaks to Taylor Sheridan attracting the best actors in the world — he just attracts amazing artists and good people to his projects, which is an incredible gift,” says White. “And really, in a lot of ways, that’s responsible for so much of what makes the show work as a whole.”
In addition to playing Jimmy on “Yellowstone,” which just wrapped Season 4 on the Paramount Network, White also hosts the ongoing “Official Yellowstone Podcast,” with new episodes released every Thursday. Listen and download wherever you get your podcasts.