How did Darren Mann transition from reading for Spencer Dutton to playing nephew Jack in '1923'?

Fans have loved Darren Mann as Jack Dutton in 1923. However, what a lot of people do not know is that Mann had initially auditioned for the role of Spencer Dutton, played by Brandon Sklenar in the show.

Mann told Deadline:

“All my auditions were for Spencer. I never read for Jack. I did something like four self-tapes, I believe, and then eventually I got a phone call saying, ‘okay, you’ve got five new scenes and you’ve got to go to Wyoming in 30 hours or something like that and you’re going to screen test for Spencer.”

However, He was eventually told that he would play Jack Dutton in 1923. Let us explore how Darren Mann ended up playing Jack when he had initially auditioned for Spencer.

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Darren Mann had originally read for the role of Spencer Dutton in 1923

Talking about his audition for 1923, Mann said:

“I went there, had the screen test, it went great. I was feeling pretty good about it but I wasn’t sure. And then I got a call maybe 30, 45 minutes later saying, ‘we want to offer you the role of Jack’. I was like, yeah, let’s go.”

The actor added:

“I was focused on the task at hand to just do my best and to show what would my flavor of the Spencer character would be if I did it. Though that one didn’t work out, I think the process all worked out for me and I got to play Jack. I love playing Jack.”

When he started preparing and eventually playing the character of Jack, Mann felt he was more comfortable in this role than he probably would have been with Spencer. Moreover, Jack’s character also brought Mann's wish to work with Sheridan true, which he had harboured since he heard of 1883 was in making.

Talking about the same, Mann said:

“My team was telling me they thought there was a good part in there for me, and that I’d probably audition soon. I’ve always wanted to be in a western. The idea of being in a western is like every little kid’s dream, to play a cowboy. So I started taking riding lessons. I wanted to make sure I was sharp. When the opportunity comes, I better be ready for it.”

Talking about Jack in the same Deadline interview, Mann mentioned:

“He’s so pure intentioned. He’s so much different than the rest of ’em. He’s not hardened or jaded. He has such a beautiful, pure view of the world.”

While Mann’s dream of working in 1883 did not come true, Sheridan’s team had kept him in mind, and playing the role of the great-nephew of Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) in 1923 opened new horizons for him.

As his character dies in 1923 Season 2 Episode 6, Mann said to People that Jack’s death was

“quick and fast.”

He added:

“I think it's Taylor [Sheridan]'s genius in his character development and writing of the unfortunate circumstance of how it goes down for good old Jack when he was just so trusting in everybody in this world.”

He also mentioned that not having a heads-up about the character’s fate did make him frustrated, but he was not really surprised since it was a Taylor Sheridan show after all.

1923 can be streamed on Paramount+.

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