Lawmen Bass Reeves: Do any Yellowstone actors appear?
Paramount+Lawmen: Bass Reeves makes its small screen debut on November 5, 2023 – but do any actors from Yellowstone appear in the series?
Let’s get one thing straight – Lawmen: Bass Reeves isn’t actually connected to Yellowstone. It’s an easy mistake to make, given that the series was initially speculated to be a follow-up to prequel spin-off 1883.
However, this is no longer the case, and Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo) is set to make his journey on Paramount+ independently. The show’s synopsis reads “About the legendary lawman Bass Reeves, one of the greatest frontier heroes and one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River in American history.”
While the series has Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan as one of its executive producers, do any actors appear during the 8 episodes of Lawmen: Bass Reeves?
Lawmen Bass Reeves: Do any Yellowstone actors appear?
Yes – one actor from Yellowstone is set to appear in Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Moses Brings Plenty, who plays Mo in Yellowstone, is set to have a small role in Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Mo was introduced in the pilot episode of Yellowstone back in 2016, titled Daybreak. He’s known for being the driver and right-hand man of Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), as well as a member of the Tribal Police.
He’s been featured in every series since, and is still around in Part 1 of Season 5, which left viewers on a cliffhanger in 2022. New episodes for Part 2 are now not expected until November 2024.
In Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Brings Plenty takes on a completely different role – which is unsurprising given the change in time periods (but is possibly confusing). No information has been released on his character yet, other than his name is Minco Dodge.
Judging by the fact that the real Bass Reeves took refuge in Indian Territory after the Battle of Pea Ridge in 1862, it could be guessed that Brings Plenty’s new character ties into the story here.
Making change in television
Alongside these two links, Brings Plenty is well-meshed in the Paramount+ world. He also serves as Native Affairs Coordinator on Yellowstone and is the American Indian Affairs Coordinator on prequel series 1923.
“It’s a slow process, but I’m trying to change how everything is being done,” Brings Plenty told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year.
“It’s all due to the support of Taylor Sheridan, 101 Studios and Paramount. To give us the opportunities to allow us to occupy the space that has been created for us, where in the past, there was a space, but the industry filled it up with whoever. I remember seeing Bob Hope play a Native. Now I feel like we are finally getting fair opportunities. There’s still a lot of growth that needs to happen; a lot more equality needs to be offered. Because we are a rarity, honestly,” he continued.
“If you want accuracy, then you have to come to a few of us. We’re not a dime a dozen anymore. We are far and few between, and so I think that production companies need to understand the preciousness of who we are and give recognition to that. We need to understand and recognize that this may be the last, and treat that with such gentleness and also equality on the pay scale. Because with us, you’re getting the spirit.”
Lawmen: Bass Reeves streams on Paramount Plus from November 5. Check out our other coverage below:
- Is Lawmen: Bass Reeves a Yellowstone spin-off?
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves trailer shows off action-packed Yellowstone spinoff
- Bass Reeves star reveals “hope” for 1883 Yellowstone spinoff
- Yellowstone star joins 1883 Bass Reeves spinoff cast
- Is Lawmen: Bass Reeves based on a true story?
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves cast: All actors & characters
- Is Lawmen: Bass Reeves created by Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan?