13 Best Characters from Yellowstone, Ranked
The famed western series, Yellowstone, is coming to an end, with the second part of its fifth and final season releasing in November 2024. The show has kick-started an entire new fandom (and franchise) of its own, something that’s increasingly difficult to do these days, particularly on streaming platforms. Show creator Taylor Sheridan found eager viewers in his lived-in, but stylistically dramatized, stories about the modern cowboy lifestyle.
Marked by its romantic idealism, complex characters, and compelling drama, Yellowstone has led the way for an entire collection of shows and films headed by Sheridan. Meanwhile, the uniquely written characters of the show and their emotional complexes have kept fans talking to this day. Needless to say, Yellowstone has single-handedly revived the modern western genre for the TV audience. While we’re eagerly awaiting the series finale of the popular show, here are 13 of the best characters from Yellowstone, ranked.
13
Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz)
Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz) is a recurring side character in Yellowstone, who acts as the bridge between the Yellowstone Ranch and the broader world of politics and the occasional corporate predator. First as the Governor of Montana and then as a U.S. senator, she helps the Duttons protect their interest while also safeguarding her own political career with a deft hand. When not on duty, she also has the occasional fling with John Dutton.
A Bold, Confident Presence
Per Screen Rant, one of the criticisms that naysayers have towards Yellowstone is that its romantic idealism towards a particular lifestyle consistently draws it towards overly dramatic, but also seemingly monotonous, characters and circumstances. Yet one must agree that it also treats its women characters without a corrective instinct.
The women in Yellowstone are unapologetically themselves, without a hint of that anxious self-awareness that lends a sense of inauthenticity. Senator Perry is one such character who is confident about her choices, and can calmly balance her desire to support the Yellowstone ranch with the decisions required of her political position.
12
Lloyd Pierce (Forrie J. Smith)
Lloyd Pierce (Forrie J. Smith) is the oldest and most trusted ranch hand at the Yellowstone bunkhouse, having worked there for decades. He holds a special bond with the ranch foreman, Rip, given their obvious history of working together. But the history he has with the ranch is nothing ordinary; he has also received the Yellowstone brand, and the circumstances in which that happened have yet to be revealed in the show.
A Mentor Figure with a Maverick Past
A father figure to the young and restless ones at the bunkhouse, Lloyd has proven himself to be a man of hidden dimensions through the Laramie incident. The character exemplifies the specific filter with which Yellowstone portrays its characters: a genuine human defined and made real by their rough edges.
References to his more maverick past are revealed in his knife-flinging skills that almost put a man in the grave. His rivalry with Walker was unexpected given his wise demeanor till that point. But it made him a much more interesting character, especially with the small but meaningful sacrifice he makes to amend his relationship with his bunkhouse rival.
11
Monica Long Dutton (Kelsey Asbille)
As a Native American woman, Monica Long Dutton (Kelsey Asbille) stands out within the Dutton family with her unique spirit and distinctive perspective. Originally living on the reservation Broken Rock Indian Reservation with her husband, Kayce, she moves to the Dutton ranch early on in Yellowstone, also becoming a professor at Montana State University. Her soft-spoken demeanor makes for some compelling oratory as her words radiate a quiet strength and boundless compassion for the sufferings of others.
Moral Compass of the Dutton Family
With emotional strength and compassion as her superpower, Monica often acts as the moral compass of the Dutton family. Even though the Duttons have their conflicts with the reservation, she navigates her conflicting allegiances well, focusing on the things that matter: her family and her need to protect her son, Tate. Along the way, her unique perspective has also been valuable for John, whose entire life has been driven by his need to protect the ranch, often at the detriment of his bond with his family.
10
Carter (Finn Little)
A late entry into the show, Finn Little’s Carter appeared in Yellowstone beginning in Season 4, as an orphan and a troublemaker who is taken in by Beth. The young actor has proven himself capable of holding his own with the established cast members of the show, embodying both the roughness and the emotionality that is so dear to the show’s world-building. The jagged and often unruly manner with which he gradually traces a relationship with Beth strikes a definite chord; one of the most tear-inducing story arcs within the entire show.
An Emotional Portrayal of a Rudderless Teen
In a show that is so often marred with disastrous endings, Carter marks a silver lining in the healing of Beth’s traumas, and a symbol of a new beginning for her and Rip’s life together. The character is essentially a repetition of Rip’s own life: a boy rescued from a terrible life and given a second chance. But what makes Carter so likable is the heartfelt performance from Little — the tearful pangs of abandonment, the blind eagerness to rediscover a maternal connection, and the gradual reconnection with the reality of his life as he gradually meets the rhythm of his new life.
9
Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley)
Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) is undoubtedly one of the most complex and pitiful villain characters in all of Yellowstone. The portrayal of personal conflict and the search for one’s real self that is seen in the character is one of the most interesting ever seen on television. The adopted son of John Dutton, Jamie has his life’s path drawn out for him by his father, becoming a lawyer solely to support the ranch. However, the frequent ostracization he faces from his own family, and his difficulty reconciling the family’s demands with his own aspirations, gradually leads him down a terrible path marked by many mistakes.
His Search for Redemption Makes Him Impossible to Hate
While Jamie isn’t likable in any sense of the word, his is a truly tragic story arc as he continually finds and squanders chances to redeem himself to the family. This goes up till his truly damning ending, where he meets an unbearably pitiful end at the hands of Beth. Not unlike the ranch hand Jimmy, he spends the entirety of Yellowstone looking for his own true self. But unlike Jimmy, he fails woefully in this endeavor, his character arc littered with conflicts between his desire to prove himself to the Duttons and his misguided self-serving instinct.
8
Walker (Ryan Bingham)
The performance of ranch hand Walker by Grammy-winning musician Ryan Bingham is one of the most mesmerizing ones in the show. Carrying a guitar and a sing-song voice, he makes an early appearance in Season 1 as a ranch hand with a criminal past. The man is quickly turned off by the way things are done at the Yellowstone ranch. However, despite his disdain, he becomes indelibly tied to the ranch after being forced to become a branded man by Rip.
A Rebel and a Poet
There aren’t too many self-willed characters in Yellowstone who value freedom above a set way of life. Walker is the only character who stands outside the established ways of life that clash with each other on this show. A melodic voice, a poetic gift, and an intriguing thousand-yard-stare make him an oddity among the show’s characters.
Interestingly, he is also one of the few characters who can actually cut through the turbulence surrounding Beth and genuinely connect with her, making for some of the most memorable moments in the entire show.
7
Teeter (Jennifer Landon)
Jennifer Landon’s Teeter is a fan-favorite Yellowstone character who first appeared on the show in Season 3 as a ranch hand, scouted by Rip and Lloyd. An indecipherable Texas drawl and a humorously animated persona allowed her character to bring an added measure of humor that was much welcomed. She quickly became a mainstay character with her distinctive personality, bonding with the rest of the crew through some shared adverse experiences that proved her loyalty.
Manic Pixie Cowgirl Beloved by All
A lovable character from her very first screen moment, Teeter had a humorous and wholesome introduction made memorable by the brilliance of Landon’s lively performance. Similarly to the other mainstays of the bunkhouse, she proved her mettle with her willingness to work hard and show up for every part of the job, including the occasional brawl with motorcycle gangs.
Adding to her charm is her romance with Colby, which is as wholesome as it is humorous, with how it allows both the characters to be even more of themselves while dishing out countless quips every minute.
6
Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly)
Moving on to the members of the Dutton family themselves, Beth (Kelly Reilly) is the most cutthroat of all the Dutton siblings by far. A formidable intellect, she has built a successful career of her own in the world of finance, using the same experience to protect the ranch’s interests. Beth nurses a serious trauma related to her mother’s death in a horse-riding accident, something she feels responsible for. The experience has made her emotionally unavailable and a candid, ruthless personality.
Beth’s Maverick Intelligence Makes for the Best Scenes
With a job described as a “corporate raider,” Beth’s ruthless personality is almost a part of her professional skillset. Although she has a turbulent emotional life, she can hold her own with the most powerful characters in the show, and her sadistic tendencies have given the show many of its high moments. She is undoubtedly one of the most exciting characters in the entire show.
5
Lee Dutton (Dave Annable)
Lee (Dave Annable) has an extremely short screentime in Yellowstone, to the point that one might even question why we’re including him on this list. However, he is one of the most interesting characters in the entire show, not the least because we got to see so little of him. One of the three Dutton brothers, Lee dies in the very first episode of the show. But attached to him is one of the most memorable family scenes of the entire series, because of which we are putting him on this list.
His Seamless Goodness Begins the Show with a Major Tragedy
The scene in question is the one in front of the campfire, where Kayce, his son Tate, Jamie, and Lee are enjoying some peaceful time together, enjoying a meal. As the series comes to an end, the scene stands out because of how differently it portrays its sibling dynamics compared to the rest of the show.
This is possibly the only time we see the Dutton brothers behave as siblings — despite the differences in opinion and personalities, the campfire scene sees them enjoying quality time with zero friction and a lot of warmth. One wonders if it was Lee who acted as the binding force for the Dutton family, with his death causing the remaining members to drift apart.
4
Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes)
Following the death of Lee, Kayce (played by Luke Grimes) becomes the next-in-line to take over the Yellowstone ranch. While all three Dutton brothers grew up enduring John’s harsh parenting, it was Kayce who decided to set out on his own, making his own identity along the way. A former U.S. Navy SEAL, Kayce’s military training comes in quite handy throughout the series. At the same time, while he is a capable leader, he is also a much more empathetic individual compared to his father.
Kayce Captivates with His Soulfulness
Kayce’s journey as he trains to take over the reins from his father is marked by inner conflict between his sense of duty and the disdain he feels for the very role he is training for. However, it is his fierce instinct to protect that eventually allows him to feel at home in the journey. And while Beth’s cutthroat antics give the show many of its most epic moments, Kayce’s soulful demeanor leads to some of the most sublime moments in all of Yellowstone.
Most memorable of them all is his one-sided conversation with a wolf in Season 3 — an off-tone moment on paper, but one that Luke Grimes plays out perfectly. It’s the closest that the show comes to a real sense of mysticism. Punctuated by Grimes’ emotional performance, the scene puts a pin on some of the show’s deepest themes.
3
John Dutton (Kevin Costner)
As the sixth generation owner of the Yellowstone Ranch, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is the man behind all the big decisions taken at the ranch, and the man who shoulders the responsibility for keeping the ranch safe. Costner fits into the role like a glove, the persona of John appearing almost like second nature to him. While the character remains a constant throughout the show’s runtime, he isn’t without his dimensions, and the manner in which he shoulders the burden of being the protector of the ranch gives the show much of its heft and color.
Costner’s Fully-Realized Performance Acts as Tonal Anchor
Given how constant John Dutton’s character remains throughout the series, it is easy to argue that there are more interesting characters in Yellowstone. But John is far from a single-dimensional character. While he carries the sense of authority required of his position with ease, we see him go through his own struggles. Although he is quick to bark orders, he isn’t emotionally immune to the effects his decisions have on his relationships; nor is his resilience a boring, invisible element. Costner brings each of these minor shades to life in a fully-realized manner.
2
Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser)
Rip (Cole Hauser) is the son that John never had; brought to the ranch as a wayward young boy, Rip completed his personal journey long before the events of the show even started. Self-confident and level-headed, he makes the perfect right-hand man for John, working as ranch foreman at the Yellowstone ranch. Cole Hauser’s unique charisma, though, brings out a unique spark in the character that makes him one of the most compelling characters in Yellowstone.
Cole Hauser’s Charisma Creates a Magnetic Character in Rip
Hauser has possibly the most magnetic screen presence among the entire Yellowstone cast, making him the perfect casting choice for Rip. The Dutton family is written with a great deal of turbulence inherent to the characters. On the other hand, Rip is a character who is much more grounded and in control of his emotions, allowing him to be fiery and confident in his work. At the same time, he can instantly switch to a tender demeanor when he’s with Beth, making him one of the most interesting characters in the show.
1
Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White)
A former drug addict taken in by the Yellowstone ranch, Jimmy (Jefferson White) appears very early in the series as an unassuming character, one of a handful of outcast characters to feature in the show. But the series puts special focus on his story arc from the very beginning. Eventually, the character becomes emblematic of the most precious theme of the entire Yellowstone series — a representation of the trials and tribulations of the cowboy life itself.
Jimmy Showcases the Beauty of the Cowboy Lifestyle
Yellowstone makes constant references to the boundless beauty of the cowboy lifestyle and the ranching profession, regularly balancing the show’s overly dramatic storylines with quiet stops filled with rumination. The show comes closest to touching upon the heart of this ideal through the character of Jimmy.
For much of the series, Jimmy is less than a likable character. Initially appearing wayward and undetermined, he eventually finds his self-worth and his reason for living after understanding the beauty of ranching at the 6666 Ranch arc — a storyline that is separate from everything that goes on at Yellowstone, and dedicated solely to Jimmy.
