‘1923’: Taylor Sheridan Didn’t Let John Dutton Sr. Actor Read the Whole Script

Taylor Sheridan’s new Dutton family tale, 1923, gives viewers a glimpse into life on the ranch 40 years after Margaret and James Dutton settled in Montana. John Dutton Sr. actor James Badge Dale is talking about his experience working on the show. Here’s what he said about Sheridan not allowing him to read the show’s entire script.

[Spoiler alert: 1923 spoilers ahead regarding the end of episode 3, “The War Has Come Home.”]

‘1923’ episode 3 featured John Dutton Sr.’s death

1923 episode 3 took the series in an entirely new direction, showing just how dangerous life on the ranch could be. “The War Has Come Home” shows the Dutton family under attack by a local enemy, resulting in Jack Dutton, Jacob Dutton, and Elizabeth Strafford getting shot. But it was John Dutton Sr. who died. While Jack, Jacob, and Elizabeth aren’t in great shape following the attack, the show confirms that John is dead.

John Dutton Sr. actor James Badge Dale talked about his character’s death. “I don’t like dying on film,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s hard. Every time you do it, I feel like a piece of me is taken out, and I leave it somewhere. I had to sit down long and hard and think, ‘Am I ready to give another piece?’ Because I don’t know how many I have left. But I had this piece to give. I believed in the story.”

Taylor Sheridan didn’t let James Badge Dale read the entire script for the show

James Badge Dale knew his character, John Dutton Sr., would be killed early in 1923. After his character dies, he doesn’t know what will happen next with the Dutton family, as show creator Taylor Sheridan wouldn’t let him read the rest of the show’s script.

“I’m going to be incredibly honest with you. I have no idea, because Taylor told me, ‘You only get to read the first three episodes,'” Dale told The Hollywood Reporter about the future of the Dutton family. “And listen, that’s the way I like it. I’m gone. I’m dead. Other guys are asking if I know about this and that. Doesn’t matter. If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage. I’m going to drive towards this ending, and I’m going to give everything to get to this ending, and I’ll see you guys later at the premiere.”

He echoed this same information to Entertainment Tonight, verifying he doesn’t even know what happens in episode 4. “They only gave me the first three scripts, so now I’m like, ‘Oh, I got to watch it!’ So, I’m excited to see what happens,” he said.

Harrison Ford signed on to ‘1923’ before Taylor Sheridan wrote the script

Jacob Dutton actor Harrison Ford wanted to read the 1923 script before committing to the project. But Taylor Sheridan didn’t have it ready.

“[Ford] goes, can I read a script? I said, you can when it’s written, but it ain’t written yet, and you got to commit to it now,” Sheridan said in an interview, according to Slash Film. “I need to know who I’m writing for. I’m done wondering who I’m writing for, and I have to go try to chase the person I had in my mind, and I can’t get the person because they’re doing some f***ing Netflix show. I don’t do that s*** anymore.”

Also, Slash Film notes that Helen Mirren, who plays Cara Dutton, verified that the cast only received the scripts for the first three episodes when shooting for 1923 started.

1923 airs Sundays on Paramount+.

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