Aminah Nieves, the breakout star of the Yellowstone prequel 1923, spoke candidly about the impact her character’s storyline had on her family. Nieves, who portrays Teonna Rainwater in the hit show, opened up about her father’s visceral reaction to her on-screen performance.
During the show’s premiere, Nieves had to escort her father out as he was deeply affected by the heart-wrenching content. Despite the intense reaction, Nieves remains grateful for the opportunity to bring such a complex and compelling character to life.
Aminah Nieves opens up about a difficult ‘1923’ script
The plight of Teonna, as depicted in 1923, is a harrowing tale with scenes that are heart-wrenching to witness. The government-supported Catholic boarding school that she attends becomes the stage for her tribulations as she navigates a series of trials and difficulties.
Despite the challenges that came her way, Teonna persevered, and her inspiring story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. In an interview with Vulture, Nieves opened up about her character’s journey in 1923 and admitted that it was a difficult task from the start.
When she first read the script for the Yellowstone prequel, Nieves revealed that she had some anxiety about Teonna’s story. Luckily, her mom was there to offer the support she needed to bring the character to life.
“I was like, Aw, man, this is a tough one. I was nervous and a little scared to tackle it,” she explained. “My mom was there every step of the way, and she was like, ‘Aminah, you have to do it. It’s for us!’”
While Nieves did an amazing job with Teonna’s story, her father had a heartbreaking reaction to her performance.
‘The 1923’ star reveals she had to walk her father out of the premiere
Nieves’ mother clearly played an important part in her auditioning for the role of Teonna in 1923. Although her family has been very supportive of her career, Nieves revealed that her father had a difficult time watching the premiere.
“For my dad, it was really, really hard for him to sit in the premiere,” she stated. “I actually had to walk him out during Teonna’s scenes. We talked about it because he was crying really loud. He was very triggered.”
Nieves added that her father broke down because he understood what Teonna’s journey meant for his family members. While it was hard watching his daughter deal with the traumatic scenes, he knew that some of his ancestors dealt with similar issues.
As far as Nieves is concerned, she is grateful for the opportunity to bring difficult storylines to the public eye. At the end of the day, the 1923 star is thankful that the plight of Native communities around the world is finally being seen.
Although she has the full support of her family, there was a time when Nieves questioned taking on such a heart-wrenching role.
Aminah Nieves thanks her mom for supporting her in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel
Nieves attributes her success in taking on the challenging role of Teonna, which represents a legacy of trauma spanning multiple generations, to her mother’s unwavering support. Despite this, the actor acknowledges that she brought her own unique interpretation to the character.
Nieves’ main goal was to create a portrayal that was distinct from previous depictions. Her creative vision was instrumental in bringing Teonna’s story to life on screen and has resonated deeply with audiences around the world.
But before Nieves even auditioned for the part, it was her mother who convinced her it was the right thing to do. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Nieves revealed that her mom helped her understand that Teonna’s story was bigger than the show.
“My mom. My mom and, really, Spirit. I think after the second time I did the scene [for the audition] where I’m with Sister Mary [played by Jennifer Ehle] and I do, “Know I am the land. Know it is the land that is killing you. I am the land and I am killing you.” I did that scene in Crow on tape, and I think that’s when it all kind of hit me, and that it wasn’t really my decision anymore,” she explained.
Thankfully, Teonna’s story ended with a bit of hope as 1923 gears up for its second season, which is expected to air sometime next year.