Harrison Ford Is Extremely Confused About Yellowstone Prequel 1923
Harrison Ford still isn't sure, even after filming Yellowstone prequel 1923, where his character fits on the Dutton family tree.
The Paramount Network’s hit show Yellowstone, now in its fifth season, has spawned a sprawling universe of characters across time with its prequel shows, 1883 and the recently premiered 1923. The latter introduced Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren into the world of Yellowstone as Jacob and Cara Dutton, and as the franchise explores the drama weaved through generations of the Dutton family, the complex lineage has left some a bit confused about how it all ties together. According to a story by IndieWire, one of those people is Harrison Ford.
James Badge Dale, who plays John Dutton, Sr. in 1923, revealed in an interview that Harrison Ford and the rest of the cast have been trying to discern their characters’ relation to John Dutton III, played by Kevin Costner in the original Yellowstone. So far, they have not been entirely successful. “This was the running joke,” Dale said, “Harrison and I would be like, ‘I think we’re related, I don’t know how.’”
Dale explained that he doesn’t trust the family trees he’s seen online because, at the end of the day, the world of Yellowstone is dictated by its creator, Taylor Sheridan. “We could be saying one thing or thinking one thing, and Taylor can decide something else and we’ll be watching ‘1943’ and realize it’s a little different and he’ll change it up,” Dale joked. Any confusion Harrison Ford and his co-stars may have about their place in the Yellowstone story has not stopped them from delivering powerhouse performances for the prequel.
1923 exploded onto Paramount+ with a record-breaking debut. On IMDb, the user ratings of each of the show’s three episodes have trended upward, with the fourth episode coming January 8, 2023. It may be early, but so far, Harrison Ford is keeping pace with the rest of the Yellowstone franchise.
To prepare for his lead role in the series, Harrison Ford told IndieWire that he watched quite a bit of Yellowstone. He compared the ambition of 1923 to that of Yellowstone, but believes that the show’s setting in the early 1920s distinguishes it as a unique entry in the sprawling story. James Badge Dale said that working with Ford was the highlight of his experience on the show, and called Sheridan’s story “an epic piece of writing”.
At 80 years of age, Harrison Ford still has a full slate beyond the world of Yellowstone. Ford will star alongside Jason Segel in the Apple series Shrinking this January, and will once again crack his signature bullwhip this Summer in James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Ford is also set to make his superhero movie debut in Marvel’s Captain America: New World Order, followed by Thunderbolts, both scheduled for a 2024 release.
In the final stage of his career, Harrison Ford is contributing his talent to some of the biggest and best stories in the industry, and his place in the world of Yellowstone is a welcome addition to his legendary filmography. Ford’s grit and charisma make him an exciting part the Dutton family, even if he can’t quite keep track of all his relatives.
