Ever since its release on January 9, American Primeval has gone on to become one of the most-watched shows on Netflix. American Primeval presents a gritty and raw Old West in which several groups are fighting for their domination of the land. In the ensuing crossfire between the Mormons, the Natives and the US Army, a mother and son duo enlist the help of a rugged and experienced frontiersman.
American Primeval features actors Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin in prominent roles. The Netflix show has been praised for its brutal and realistic depiction of violence that often borders on horror. While American Primeval often mixes historical truth with fiction, it's the true depiction of violence that stays with the audience for times to come.
The filming for American Primeval was a gruelling process for the actors. As revealed in a recent interview with Collider's Steve Weintraub, both Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin underwent considerable physical hardship while shooting on location. While Kitsch commented:
"I was in the boot again for six weeks. So that was fun. That was so fun."
Gilpin revealed:
"When I first read the scripts, I was like, "Oh God, this is going to be rough." It's a lot of night shoots in the snow."
Here's everything we know.
American Primeval was shot mostly on location
It is a known fact that the brutal realism of the Netflix show can be attributed to creators Peter Berg and Mark L. Smith's creative decision to shoot the six-part miniseries on location. In this regard, Gilpin remarked:
"It was just a lot of elements of, "This is going to be tough." But, honestly, even though it was a wild experience, and it certainly was freezing cold, burning hot, it was still so much better than being stuck on a soundstage all the time, working a 16-hour day. It was full-on, but it was what the show deserved. It did 80% of the work for you because it felt real. We were really out there with each other and the elements were kind of the main character of the show in a way that felt really right."
Kitsch added:
"KITSCH: For me, it was hell. (Laughs) No, I broke my foot early on, man, in the show. Then they told me it wasn't broken, and then it really was, and then I was in a boot for six weeks. Then I got out of the boot. I was told the foot was supposed to be good, and then literally the same day I got out of the boot, I was in surgery, and we cut a bone out of the foot. Then, I was in the boot again for six weeks. So that was fun. That was so fun. Riding a horse with a boot on is just easy."
Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin open up about working with each other
Co-actors Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin share a remarkable chemistry that subsequently enhanced their individual performances. As Gilpin remarked:
"The first minute of the first scene I had with Taylor, it was very clear the combination of his raw talent, his passion, and his commitment to making this real and 1,000 miles deep as possible. Looking into his eyes, I was catapulted into, "Oh, this is really happening." I had the same curiosity about him as an actor that Sara has about Isaac, so I couldn't wait to get to those scene-scenes."
Similarly, Kitsch appreciated Gilpin's acting prowess when he stated:
"It's a credit to, obviously, your prep and everything, but there's an energy when you're working with her that you better f*****g match. I love that. I love the “you're coming with me, whether you're ready or not” kind of energy. For me, I just love that challenge. I think you always want to be uncomfortable, but incredibly comfortable, so you can be uncomfortable with each other. I was very grateful for that."
American Primeval is exclusively available on Netflix.
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