Who Is Timothy Dalton in ‘1923’?
Timothy Dalton appears in the Yellowstone prequel 1923, but his character hasn’t shown up in the series yet. Dalton is a legendary British actor known for a variety of roles over the years. Here’s who Dalton plays in 1923, his character’s role in the series, and where else fans can check out the actor’s work.
[Warning: 1923 premiere spoilers ahead.]
Timothy Dalton plays Donald Whitfield in ‘1923’
Actor Timothy Dalton joins the cast of the Paramount+ series 1923 as Donald Whitfield. Deadline reports that Donald is a “powerful, self-confident man who reeks of wealth and the lack of empathy it requires to attain it. He is intimidating and nefarious and is used to getting what he wants.”
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, series creator Taylor Sheridan gushed over Dalton’s talents. “His work is special, and I’m honored to have him a part of it,” he told the outlet. “I can’t wait for everyone to see what he does cause it’s rare. It’s really rare, and it’s beautiful, and it’s tough to watch.”
Donald Whitfield appears to be the villain in ‘1923’
Donald Whitfield’s character description hints that he will be the main villain of the Dutton family in 1923. The show’s official trailer reveals that Donald acquires the Strafford ranch making him neighbors with the Dutton family.
The 1923 premiere introduced another enemy of the Duttons. Jerome Flynn’s character Banner Creighton is a local sheepherder. To his Banner’s dismay, Jacob won’t allow his sheep to graze on his land. Although Jacob gives him a warning, Banner cuts through the Dutton’s fence in the premiere episode.
Another clip from the trailer shows Banner asking Donald how much land he wants. “I want the whole valley,” Donald replies. In 1923, the issues faced by the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch are similar to the threats from the modern day. A wealthy land grabber seeks to destroy the very thing the Duttons hold dear.
“A big theme within our story is the potential destruction of the land because of progress, because of modernization, which you can’t hold back, but at the same time, the sacrifices that you’re going to make in terms of nature maybe are too great,” Helen Mirren explained in a video from Paramount+. “There are forces around the family, around the land, around the landscape that are looking greedily at it, wanting to take it.”
Other Timothy Dalton movies and shows
At 76 years old, Timothy Dalton’s on-screen career spans all the way back to the late 1960s, when he made his film debut as Philip II of France in the historical drama The Lion in Winter. Before hitting the big screen, Dalton was a stage actor who performed with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Dalton is perhaps best known for his stint as James Bond in the films The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989), where he played a darker and more serious version of the character. Viewers may also recognize Dalton from films such as Flash Gordon and Hot Fuzz or the popular BBC miniseries Jane Eyre.
New episodes of 1923 are released Sundays on Paramount+.
