Dave Annable was killed off in the first episode of Yellowstone and says he is already growing the beard back
‘Marshals’ may yet drag a figure from Kayce Dutton’s tragic past back into view — the only mystery is which face it could be.
Trust Taylor Sheridan to never let go of a good actor once he finds one — the man treats his casting like a football squad, moving his favourites between his spinoffs as if they’re all playing on the same pitch. Look at Dave Annable, for instance: he might have been unceremoniously killed off as Lee Dutton in the very first episode of Yellowstone, but he’s made it abundantly clear he’d jump at the chance to saddle up again in one of Sheridan’s ever-growing web of Dutton shows. The dead don’t always stay dead in this universe, apparently, and actors don’t exactly retire their cowboy hats when their character gets plugged.
“I'm in the car. I'm on the way. I'm growing my beard out. Let's dye my hair again. I'm ready to rock.”
That’s Annable, speaking with MovieWeb, joking about how quickly he’d reprise Lee Dutton — beard, hair dye and all. No one can say he’s dragging his feet.
If you forgot, Annable’s Lee Dutton was supposed to be the heir apparent at the Yellowstone ranch — John Dutton’s eldest, his right-hand, and seemingly the safe bet for the family legacy. But, as Sheridan likes to do, he pulled the rug out straight away, killing Lee off before we’d even got settled in for episode two. That gamble ended up being one of Yellowstone’s most hotly debated twists, and absolutely set the tone: nobody is safe, not even the characters billed as the future of the whole show. Lee’s death also kicked off the long-running feud between the Duttons and the Broken Rock Reservation, until they eventually found themselves facing an even bigger problem together.
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Plenty of Spinoffs, Plenty of Chances
The Sheridanverse has not exactly been short of ways for old favourites to pop back up. After Yellowstone blew up, we got 1883, 1923, and now upcoming things like Marshals, Dutton Ranch, and a new prequel called 1944 — all tied together by the Dutton family bloodline, turning the saga into a multi-generational soap. Sheridan hasn't just stuck with cowboy tales; his resume’s grown to include other series like Tulsa King, Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, The Madison, and Lioness. But what links pretty much all these shows is how often the same actors crop up.
James Jordan tops the Sheridanverse leaderboards, having played roles in Yellowstone, 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, and Landman.
If you think it’s just a case of Sheridan being too lazy to cast new faces, think again. LaMonica Garrett, who’s appeared in 1883 and Lioness, actually likens Sheridan’s casting habits to directors like Scorsese or Christopher Nolan — the kind who build their own acting rep company. It’s team spirit, apparently, not just low effort.
Where Annable Pops Up Next
Lately, Annable’s moved from the open range to suburban family life — on TV at least — with Lioness. He plays Neal McNamara, whose main job is keeping the home fires burning while his wife, Zoe Saldana’s Joe, is off running covert ops. Classic Sheridan move: plant someone in a normal domestic setup, then crank the dread and drama up to ten. By season three, Neal’s not just suspicious — the threat to the family is knocking at his front door, and the marriage is hanging on by a thread.
As for whether Lee Dutton will ever get resurrected for a proper flashback (or vision quest, as the show likes to do), Annable’s up for it. He says that working on Yellowstone will always go down as 'something that will forever be a special, special job for me.' There’s no confirmation yet, but with so many spinoffs, you wouldn’t bet against him putting the hat back on sooner or later.