The Sheridan-verse just got a little bit bigger. A raft of western alums have joined the cast of Bass Reeves, the upcoming limited series about the famed Black frontier hero, produced by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Starring David Oyelowo as the titular lawman and Dennis Quaid as a Deputy U.S. Marshall, Bass Reeves was originally billed as a sequel to the critically-acclaimed 1883 - itself a prequel to Yellowstone. (A mouthful, I know.) While no release date has been set for the Paramount+ series, an uptick in casting announcements indicates that the much-anticipated western could hit the airwaves sooner than previously thought.
Among the five actors to have joined the cast, per Deadline, is Rob Morgan, who starred in the Oscar-nominated 2017 drama Mudbound. Morgan will play Ramsey, a once-strong man who has been broken by time in the upcoming series. Fellow Mudbound alum Garrett Hedlund will guest star as Garrett Montgomery, a so-called posse man of the era hired by Reeves (Oyelowo) for his riding know-how. Also boarding the series is Ryan O'Nan, who's starred in episodes of Fargo and ABC's Big Sky, having played Donno in the latter since 2021. O'Nan is set to play Darrell Dolliver, an outlaw Reeves is tasked with bringing to justice.
Currently in production in Texas (and probably at Taylor Sheridan's sprawling Bosque Ranch compound), Bass Reeves takes place during the Reconstruction era, in the wake of the Civil War. The series will follow the life and times of Reeves, who became the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi, having captured more than 3,000 dangerous criminals in his lifetime without ever being wounded. It's unclear whether the show will tie in directly with the events of Yellowstone prequel series 1883, as Bass Reeves' title has been shortened from the original 1883: The Bass Reeves Story.
The cast also includes series regulars Lauren E. Banks, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper and Demi Singleton. Shea Whigham, best known for starring in Boardwalk Empire, will guest star.
Joaquina Kalukango (Lovecraft Country), Lonnie Chavis (This is Us) and Justin Hurtt-Dunkley (Mare of Easttown) have also been tapped for recurring roles.
Kalukango, who recieved a Tony nomination for her Broadway performance in Slave Play, will take on the role of Esme, a former enslaved woman who's like family to the Reeves clan. Chavis, who starred in the Oyelowo-directed The Water Man, will play Arthur Mayberry, a young boy with eyes for Bass Reeves' daughter Sally. For his part, Hurtt-Dunkley will play Ike, a Deputy U.S. Marshal - just like Quaid's character Sherrill Lynn.
Bass Reeves is expected to make its Paramount+ debut sometime in 2023 or 2024.
