Good talent is hard to find, so when you land an actor who really nails their role, why not keep them around? That’s Taylor Sheridan’s motto, anyway. The Yellowstone, 1883, Marshals, Landman, Dutton Ranch, etc., etc., creator loves to bounce actors around from show to show, so you’ll see a lot of the same faces across his many different series.
Of course there are the big names like Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Kelly Reilly, who made the Yellowstone/Dutton universe such a hit with fans, but this list relies on the recognizable actors who keep popping up across timelines, just under different character names.
Though many of the series listed below have wrapped for good, a third season of Lioness just started. Catch new episodes of the show—a juicy spy thriller which follows a group of female CIA operatives—on Sundays on Paramount+. You’ll spot many actors you recognize from other Taylor Sheridan shows there, or even the director himself.
Gil Birmingham
CBS
Appears in: Marshals, Yellowstone, Wind River, Hell or High Water
You likely know Gil as Tribal Chairman Thomas Rainwater from Yellowstone, but he’s also appeared in two of Taylor Sheridan’s movies.
Sam Elliott
Paramount
Appears in:Landman, 1883
Okay, so Sam is a very well-known Hollywood actor, but he was such a perfect fit for Taylor Sheridan’s Western world, he couldn’t resist bringing him in—twice. He now plays T.L. Norris on Landman, which was recently approved for a third season.
Billy Bob Thornton
Paramount
Appears in:1883, Landman
Billy Bob is the main character in Landman and also the son of Sam Elliott’s character.
Dawn Olivieri
Paramount
Appears in:1883, Yellowstone, Lioness
Find Dawn playing Amber Whalen on Lioness currently, though she was previously a Dutton and an Atwood in the Yellowstone universe.
Nichole Galicia
Paramount
Appears in: Yellowstone, 1883, Mayor of Kingstown
Her roles in Taylor Sheridan’s world just keep getting bigger. The biggest thus far: Rebecca on Mayor of Kingstown, which is in its fifth and final season.
James Jordan
Paramount
Appears in:Lioness, Wind River, Landman, 1883, Yellowstone, Those Who Wish Me Dead
Taylor Sheridan loves this guy! If he’s writing a new script, he’s probably got a role earmarked for James Jordan.
LaMonica Garrett
Paramount
Appears in:Lioness, 1883
Look for LaMonica as CIA strong hand Tucker on Lioness.
J.R. Villarreal
Paramount
Appears in:Dutton Ranch, Landman
In Dutton Ranch, J.R. plays Azul, the ranch foreman for Rip.
Kelsey Asbille
Paramount
Appears in:Yellowstone, Wind River
Before she was Monica Dutton, she played Natalie Hanson in Taylor Sheridan’s 2017 neo-Western crime flick Wind River.
Michelle Randolph
Paramount
Appears in:Landman, 1923
Michelle portrayed Elizabeth Strafford in Yellowstone prequel 1923 and currently plays Ainsley Norris in Landman.
Barry Corbin
Paramount
Appears in: Yellowstone, Tulsa King
Barry just has one of those faces for Westerns, doesn’t he? He’s been in several, even outside of Taylor Sheridan’s realm.
Neal McDonough
Paramount
Appears in: Yellowstone, Tulsa King
A fourth season of Tulsa King is coming (TBA), with Neal in the role of Cal Thresher.
Gratiela Brancusi
Paramount
Appears in:1883, Mayor of Kingstown
Gratiela has very few acting credits to her name, so Taylor Sheridan gets a nod for catapulting her career.
Tokala Black Elk
Paramount
Appears in:Yellowstone, 1883
You should remember Sam Stands Alone, who lived near Beth and Rip (Yellowstone) on the Broken Rock Indian Reservation.
Finn Little
Paramount
Appears in:Yellowstone, Dutton Ranch, Those Who Wish Me Dead
Fun fact: Finn, who played Carter Green in the Yellowstone world, is only 20!
Matt Gerald
Paramount
Appears in:Lioness, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown
Look for Matt as “Goose” in Season 3 of Lioness, which is rolling out now.
Graham Greene
Paramount
Appears in:1883, Wind River, Tulsa King
Graham was a regular actor on Taylor Sheridan’s projects, but sadly, 1883 and Tulsa King will be the last shows you see him in, as he died in 2025.
Jennifer Ehle
Paramount
Appears in:Lioness, 1923
Jennifer plays Sister Mary in 1923 and more recently, White House Chief of Staff Mason in Lioness.
Dave Annable
Paramount
Appears in:Lioness, Yellowstone
Dave plays Dr. Neal McNamara on Lioness. It’s a main character role, so you’ll see a lot of him.
Garrett Hedlund
Paramount
Appears in: Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Tulsa King
Garrett’s Tulsa King character, Mitch Keller, is one of the main names on the show.
Stephanie Nur
Paramount
Appears in:1883, Lioness
Stephanie has played Aaliyah Amrohi on Lioness since 2023, when the show started.
Robyn Lively
Paramount
Appears in:Landman, Lioness
Ellie is the favored waitress at The Patch Cafe—a hot spot for a lot of the Landman characters.
Martin Sensmeier
Paramount
Appears in:Yellowstone, 1883, Wind River
Martin is of Alaskan descent and has found his niche portraying Native American characters, like Comanche warrior Sam in 1883.
Hugh Dillon
Paramount
Appears in:Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown
Fun fact: In addition to playing Detective Ian Ferguson (Mayor of Kingstown), Hugh is a co-creator of the show with Taylor Sheridan.
Honorable Mention: Country Music!
Paramount
Lainey Wilson, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Riley Green — all of these country A-listers have scored acting roles on Taylor Sheridan shows. The director and writer (and producer of CBS’ The Road) keeps looking to Nashville when casting, so he clearly is a big fan of country music! If we had to guess, he’s not done pulling out the big guns, either. May we suggest Reba for a role?
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