American Primeval Cast & Character Guide

Netflix’s American Primeval is finally here, and here is a full breakdown of the cast and crew of the Western drama series. American Primeval is one of the most exciting Netflix shows of 2025, with the series coming from director Peter Berg and The Revenant writer Mark L. Smith. The series packs a star-studded cast, so here is who you can expect to see in American Primeval and who they are playing.

American Primeval is a dark and gritty take on the Western genre, with it telling the story of a mother and son who must traverse the dangers of the frontier with the help of a guide. American Primeval is full of tragedy, violence, and heartbreaking moments, with it attempting to highlight how difficult the conditions of the time were. The actors who star in American Primeval do a fantastic job at conveying this dark tone, and here is who they are.

Betty Gilpin As Sara Rowell

Born July 21, 1986

Actor: Betty Gilpin was born In New York City, New York on July 21, 1986, and had her big break playing Debbie “Liberty Belle” Eagan on the Netflix wrestling series GLOW. Gilpin has since reunited with Netflix for the animated series Skull Island and is now returning again for American Primeval. Gilpin has also appeared in hit movies and TV shows like Nurse Jackie, Isn’t It Romantic, A Dog’s Journey, Mrs. Davis, and more.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Betty Gilpin plays Sara Rowell, a woman who is on the run across the frontier with her son David. Sara and David start the series out looking for a guide who can take them to find Sara’s husband. However, more is soon revealed about the true nature of Sara’s quest.

Taylor Kitsch As Isaac

Born On April 8, 1981

Actor: Taylor Kitsch was born in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada on April 8, 1981, and had his big break playing Tim Wiggins on the NBC series Friday Night Lights. Kitsch has become an action star since beginning his acting career, with him starring in John Carter, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Battleship, and Lone Survivor. Kitsch has also appeared in other popular movies and TV shows like Snakes on a Plane, True Detective, and The Terminal List.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Taylor Kitsch plays Isaac, a man who agrees to help Sara and Devin journey across the frontier. Isaac’s knowledge of the wilderness and survival skills is of great aid to his companions, and much like Sara, he too has a mysterious past that is unveiled throughout the series.

Preston Mota As Devin Rowell

Born August 27, 2010

Actor: Preston Mota was born in Dallas, Texas on August 27, 2010, and had his big break playing Dwight in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. This helped launch the child actor’s career, with him also appearing in American Primeval as well as upcoming projects like Campfire and The American Way.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Preston Mota plays Devin Rowell, the son of Sara Rowell. Devin’s youth and bad leg don’t stop him from having to make some tough choices as he crosses the frontier alongside Sara, Isaac, and Two Moons, with him not allowing anything to stop him as the group tries to locate his father.

Shawnee Pourier As Two Moons

Actor: Shawnee Pourier plays Two Moons in American Primeval, with her being another one of the show’s standout young actors, although her birthday and place of birth are unknown. Shawnee Pourier appeared in an episode of Stranger Things as well as the TV series Dark Winds, with her also being featured in short films like Seeds and Rude Girl.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Shawnee Pourier plays Two Moons, a young, mute, Indigenous girl who joins Sara, Devin, and Isaac as they cross the frontier. Two Moons ran from her tribe and stowed away on Sara’s wagon, leading to her forming a bond with Devin and becoming accepted as a member of the party.

Shea Whigham As Jim Bridger

Born January 5, 1969

Actor: Shea Whigham was born in Tallahassee, Florida on January 5, 1969, with him having his breakout role in Joel Schumacher’s 2000 film Tigerland. Whigham has appeared in massive blockbuster movies like Fast & Furious, The Wolf of Wall Street, Star Trek Beyond, Kong: Skull Island, Joker, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and its sequel. On top of that, Whigham had a starring role in Boardwalk Empire as well as shows like Vice Principals, Fargo, Perry Mason, and The Righteous Gemstones.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Shea Whigham plays Jim Bridger, the realist who runs the dangerous Fort Bridger. Throughout the series, Bridger butts heads with the governor of the Utah Territory, Brigham Young, with him hiding information about the whereabouts of Sara as well as preventing the acquisition of Fort Bridger.

Dane DeHaan As Jacob Pratt

Born February 6, 1986

Actor: Dane DeHaan was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on February 6, 1986, with him having his big break in the 2012 film Chronicle. DeHaan went on to star in films like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, A Cure for Wellness, Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, as well as TV shows like ZeroZeroZero, The Stranger, Lisey’s Story, and The Staircase.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: In American Primeval, Dane DeHaan plays Jacob Pratt, a Mormon who is badly injured during the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Pratt joins a band of fellow Mormons as they go on a journey to find his living wife, who he believes has been kidnapped by the Indigenous warriors who carried out the attack.

American Primeval Supporting Cast & Characters

Kim Coates as Brigham Young: Sons of Anarchy‘s Kim Coates plays Brigham Young, the real-life leader of the Mormon Church, governor of the Utah Territory, and the man in control of the Nauvoo Legion.

Jai Courtney as Virgil Cutter: Suicide Squad‘s Jai Courtney plays Virgil Cutter, a fur trapper who intends on hunting Sara Rowell down and turning her in for the bounty.

Saura Lightfoot-Leon as Abish Pratt: Masters of the Air‘s Saura Lightfoot-Leon plays Abish Pratt, the wife of Jacob who survives the Mountain Meadows Massacre and goes on to live among the Indigenous tribe that took her.

Kyle Bradley Davis as Tilly: American Horror Story‘s Kyle Bradley Davis plays Tilly, a trapper who works for Virgil Cutter.

Nick Hargrove as Cottrell: Devotion‘s Nick Hargrove plays Cottrell, a resident of Fort Bridger who assists Jim Bridger.

Derek Hinkey as Red Feather: Horizon‘s Derek Hinkey plays Red Feather, the leader of a group of warriors called the Wolf Clan.

Joe Tippett as James Wolsey: The Morning Show‘s Joe Tippett plays James Wolsey, the leader of a Mormon militia that serves as a major antagonist in American Primeval.