Dark Winds Season 3 Cast and Character guide: Who plays whom in AMC period thriller

AMC's popular psychological thriller series 'Dark Winds' debuted on June 12, 2022. Since then, the series has garnered steady ratings and critical acclaim due to its storyline and star-studded cast members.

The much-awaited Dark Winds Season 3 premiered on March 9, 2025, at 9 PM ET on AMC. This season is slated to have eight episodes, more than the six-episode format the series followed. Apart from that, Dark Winds, created by Graham Roland, has also been renewed for a fresh new season, which could be released by 2026.

Based on the popular novel series Leaphorn & Chee by Tony Hillerman, the plot is set in the 1970s, where two Native Indian officers try to solve the crimes of the region. Dark Winds Season 3 is set six months after the events of the Season 2 finale. The logline of Dark Winds Season 3 reads as per AMC,

"Sometimes to stop a monster you have to become one."

Dark Winds' Season 2 finale saw Navajo lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, played by Zahn McClarnon, decide to leave his son's murderer to die in the snowy, isolated region. Joe does not trust the justice system. Hence, he decides to go against the law. Meanwhile, Jim Chee, played by Kiowa Gordon, decides to join the police force after working as a private investigator. On the other hand, Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Mantten) leaves the town as she gets offered a new role in the Border Patrol.

Dark Winds Season 3, Episode 1 Ye'iitosh (Big Monster) deals with the aftermath of the finale, where Bernadette is rotting her skills in the Border Patrol under a sexist boss. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee investigate a case where a young boy, Ernesto Cata, goes missing from the town of Kayenta.

Apart from its gripping storyline, Dark Winds Season 3 continues to stand out by bringing Native American voices during the 1970s to the forefront. The show's unique blend of classism and bigotry delivers a powerful narrative.

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Dark Winds Season 3: Cast and Character Guide

Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee

Born on March 25, 1990, Kiowa Gordon is a Native American actor well known for his role in The Twilight series as Embry Call, the shapeshifter. Apart from that, he also appeared as Jake Kingston in the 2014 thriller Wind Walkers and in the Netflix film An Act of War. Other notable projects include Painted Woman, Roswell, New Mexico, The Liberator, and Quantum Cowboys, to name a few.

Jim Chee, played by Kiowa Gordon, is a young but dedicated Navajo Tribal Police detective who turns to a sergeant and Leaphorn's partner for investigating crimes. However, he found himself caught between the duties of his job and his connection to his Navajo heritage. With Sgt. Bernadette leaving the town for the Border Patrol job, the viewers could expect more Leaphorn-Chee moments.

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Jessica Matten as Bernadette Manuelito

Born on November 3, 1985, Jessica Matten is a Canadian actress well known for her roles in RezBall, Frontier, Tribal, Hudson & Rex, and Sleepwalk. She is a member of the Metis Tribe and has dedicated her life to helping Indigenous people overcome generational trauma. Jessica has co-founded The Counting Coup Indigenous Film Academy, where she encourages Indigenous artists to gain expertise and connect.

In Dark Winds, Jessica Matten plays Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito, a no-nonsense officer who is dedicated to her job. In Dark Winds Season 2, she leaves Kayenta for a new role in the Border Patrol. But not before kissing Jim Chee, even though they were not teased as a couple in the first season, the two share a strong bond. In Dark Winds Season 3, Bernadette faces a few hurdles in her new workplace, such as her sexist commanding officer at Border Patrol.

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Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn

Zahn McClarnon, born on October 24, 1966, in Colorado, is a popular Native American actor. He has appeared on shows such as Fargo Season 2, Westworld Season 2, Reservation Dogs, and MCU's Hawkeye.

Zahn McClarnon plays Joe Leaphorn, an undercover FBI agent and a dedicated lieutenant of the Navajo Tribal Police from Kayenta. In this season, his character will continue to deal with personal trauma and complex cases that will challenge his morals. Dark Winds Season 2 ended with Joe Leaphorn killing BJ Vines, a local businessman, to avenge the death of his son, who was killed in an explosion. BJ Vines is an assassin who funded the bomb-making. Joe kidnaps Vines and takes him to a deserted snow field, making him freeze to death.

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Deanna Allison as Emma Leaphorn

Deanna Toshi Allison, born on November 14, 1980, is a Native American actress. She is a part of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. Some of her notable projects are Accused and Edge of America. She was also a part of the animation team of The Batman and Batman VS Dracula.

Deanna plays the role of Emma Leaphorn, Joe Leaphorn's wife and a nurse/midwife at Kayenta town's hospital. She is a dedicated midwife who is concerned about the domestic abuses that are inflicted upon the women of the town.

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Jenna Elfman as Agent Sylvia Washington

Born on September 30, 1971, Jenna Elfman is a popular American actress known for her roles in ABC's Dharma & Greg. Even though she began as a professional dancer, she bagged several awards as an actor, including Golden Globes and TV Guide Awards. Some of her notable works include Keeping in Faith, Clifford's Really Big Move, Shifting Gears, and The Twilight Zone.

Jenna Elfman plays the role of FBI Special Agent Sylvia Washington, a new character added to Dark Winds Season 3. She has been allotted to investigate some old cases from the Navajo Tribal Police Station.

Other supporting cast includes

• A Martinez as Gordo Sena, Sheriff of Scarborough County
• Alex Meraz as Ivan Munos, agent at Border Patrol
• Cary Roland as Teddi Issacs, an anthropologist working at the Navajo Nation
• Bruce Greenwood as Tom Spencer, an oil baron turned criminal
• Tonantzin Carmelo as Eleanada Garza, an officer at the Border Patrol
• Terry Serpico as Officer Henry, an officer at the Border Patrol.
• Derek Hinkey as Shorty Bowlegs
• Christopher Heyerdahl as Dr. Reynolds
• Phil Burke as Michael Halsey

Apart from that, GOT icon George R.R Martin and Robert Redford have cameo roles in Dark Winds Season 3. Unable to find George Bowlegs, Leaphorn and Chee visit two men in the prison cell who are playing chess. The two men were none other than R.R. Martin and Robert Redford.

Read More: Dark Winds Season 3 has two unexpected cameos with a cheeky reference to Game of Thrones delay

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