“I had no idea” When 1923 star Helen Mirren revealed she joined the Yellowstone spin-off without reading a script

The acclaimed prequel to Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone, 1923, follows the Dutton family navigating a rapidly changing world in the early 20th century. The series is set in Montana during the 1920s and focuses on the Duttons facing historical events such as Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the effects of Western expansion.

The prequel debuted in December 2022 with eight episodes, followed by the release of the second season in February 2025. At the heart of 1923 is Helen Mirren's Cara Dutton and her husband Jacob Dutton, played by legendary actor Harrison Ford.

The actors are highly praised for their roles, but little did many fans know that Helen Mirren didn't even read the script before securing the prequel. Mirren brought the strong-willed matriarch to life, and while talking about her role, she said:

"I agreed to do it without reading any scripts. No scripts were available to read. I had no idea really. I mean, obviously I had an outline of the story."

The 1932 actress continued:

"It’s this couple, living on a ranch, and their struggles. That was as much as I knew. But I didn’t read any scripts. And I signed on without really knowing what I was getting into but with great excitement."

While Mirren wasn't aware of the entire plot, she knows Taylor Sheridan is one of the visionaries and admired his previous films like Wind River and Hell or High Water. The actress felt grateful to have been cast as Cara in the series, as now it's one of her famous roles.

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Helen Mirren joined 1923 without reading the script of the prequel

Actress Helen Mirren once again collaborated with Harrison Ford to play the Dutton couple in 1923, and while revealing that she didn't read the script, Mirren also spoke highly of her co-star. The Prime Suspect star was also asked about what drew her to the series, to which she replied:

"Possibly very, very early in my decision to do it was the fact that Harrison was involved. That immediately raised the stakes enormously high."

She continued:

"I already knew that Taylor Sheridan was obviously the creator. That was a hugely important element in the process because of his track record... And I’ve loved all of his films. So that was in an incredible, important element."

Both Mirren and Ford have developed a great bond while working on the sets of 1923. The actress spoke with People Magazine about their bond and revealed that Ford always engaged with the cast and crew rather than isolating himself. Mirren said:

"He's always so lovely to all the other actors. The other guys just gather around Harrison because they just want to be in his company, I think. And I tag along."

As seen in the latest Season 2, Jacob and Cara Dutton battle a brutal winter while looking after their land. At the same time, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) continues his desperate race home to Montana while his love, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), embarks on her own journey to reunite with him.

As for the other cast members, 1923 also features Jerome Flynn, Aminah Nieves, and Timothy Dalton. The Yellowstone prequel has concluded with Season 2, as Brandon Sklenar previously explained that the show was always planned to have two chapters.

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Also Read: Who does Taylor Sheridan play in Yellowstone? Character explored

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