‘1923’ Star Brian Geraghty Teases Audiences Will “Go Home With Zane” At Some Point

Every Dutton needs a trustworthy ranch foreman to help run the Yellowstone. In Taylor Sheridan’s first Western series, Yellowstone, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) right hand man who runs his day-to-day operations and kills for him if need be. In 1923, Brian Geraghty’s fiercely loyal Zane is dedicated to Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and to the Yellowstone. When asked about Zane’s connection to Jacob, Geraghty told Decider, “I believe Jacob really helped Zane out… and gave Zane an opportunity to have a decent life.” With that in mind, Geraghty plays the foreman with dignity and focus as he rides by Jacob’s side.

With celebrated turns in NBC’s Chicago P.D, TNT’s The Alienist and, most recently, ABC’s Dark Sky as the villainous scene-stealer Ronald Pergman, Geraghty is no stranger to dramatic television. Although his role in 1923 marks his first appearance in a Western, Geraghty looks totally at ease in the saddle, thanks to Sheridan’s legendary cowboy camp. You know, that legendary crash course in riding, wrangling, and all things ranch life that all Yellowstone actors must endure. Fans will no doubt see more of his cowboy skills as the series progresses.

Decider got to speak with the 1923 star briefly over Zoom. Geraghty explained his character’s backstory, shared what is was like to herd cattle with real cowboys on-camera, and teased some “interesting situations” to come with the Duttons.

DECIDER: In the first episode, we are just starting to get a feel for ranch foreman Zane. What drives him? Did you work with Taylor Sheridan on a backstory?

BRIAN GERAGHTY: I didn’t get to work with Taylor on a backstory. I just came up with my own. Zane goes beyond the title of Ranch Foreman. It makes sense to me that Jacob really helped Zane out. Zane’s parents weren’t around, and Jacob gave Zane an opportunity to have a decent life. Zane and Jacob have one big thing in common: they love the cowboy way of life. During this time period, when there are all these technological and societal advancements, Jacob and Zane are both curious but just fine with life on the ranch. No car needed. Just a horse.

You got to attend the infamous cowboy camp as part of pre-production. What was that experience like?

It was crucial for all of us. Taylor, a real cowboy, wanted the cast to get as good at cowboying as we possibly could with the time that we had. It was just so important. It was also fun, terrifying, demoralizing, and joyous [laughs]. We had all the feelings of adults really trying to become proficient at something difficult in a short amount of time. I felt a lot of childhood regression there.

In the first episode, the men of the Yellowstone are herding cattle up a mountain. Do cattle cooperate when the director calls “action”?

Yeah. We make sure they cooperate. We learned to drive cattle and we did our best [laughs]. We fortunately have a few cowboys riding with us who do this for a living. The chaos is actually helpful, so we just go. There are enough cameras to catch us doing what we do and just take things as they comes, as cowboys would do in real life. There’s a lot of fluidness with the way we shoot those things, but it’s fun. We have an objective—to get the cows up the hill. It’s like an acting exercise.

The Taylor Sheridan universe has a loyal and dedicated following. As newcomers in this world—playing important characters in the Dutton dynasty—do you feel a responsibility to the fans?

No. I don’t feel pressure or responsibility. I’ll treat this like any other job that I care about. Thinking about that kind of stuff impedes me. I can’t think about how many fans there are or who’s going to like what. The best thing to do is show up, put a lot of work into what they write, and just do the best you can in those scenarios, because otherwise it’s too much.

What can you tease about your characters’ journey through the rest of the series?

You’ll see. Zane will be in some very interesting situations with the Duttons. Also, audiences will get to come home with Zane at some point and that’ll be a very interesting surprise.