‘Yellowstone’ Star Mo Brings Plenty Has More Ties to ‘1923’ Than Just Being a Cultural Consultant

As a cultural consultant for Yellowstone and its prequel series 1923, Mo Brings Plenty plays a crucial role in ensuring that the show’s portrayal of various Native American tribes is accurate and respectful. But for Brings Plenty, this work is more than just a job – it is deeply personal.

Not only did Brings Plenty play a large role in helping Aminah Nieves bring her character, Teonna Rainwater, to life in 1923, but his own nephew was also cast to play an important role in the franchise.

Mo Brings Plenty opens up about his role in ‘1923’

As the coordinator and consultant for American Indian representation on both 1923 and Yellowstone, Brings Plenty brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to both shows.

In his non-acting role, Brings Plenty is responsible for ensuring that the shows accurately and respectfully represent Native American cultures, particularly in terms of language and customs. To achieve this, he works closely with fluent language speakers from various tribes, ensuring that the shows are as authentic as possible in their portrayals.

In addition to his work on language and cultural accuracy, Brings Plenty also plays an important role in helping the cast of 1923 bring their characters to life on the small screens. While his work with Nieves is one standout example of this, he also has a close connection to another member of the cast of 1923.

The ‘Yellowstone’ star has a personal tie to a cast member on ‘1923’

One of the intriguing storylines in the first season of 1923 was the introduction of Teonna’s romantic interest, Pete Plenty Clouds, played by Brings Plenty’s nephew, Cole Brings Plenty. 

While it’s not yet clear how the family trees in 1923 match up with those in Yellowstone, creator Taylor Sheridan has made it clear that the Rainwater and Plenty Clouds families are set to play a pivotal role in the overarching storyline.

Although Brings Plenty was thrilled when his nephew landed such an important role in the franchise, he told Hollywood Reporter that he did not play a part in the casting process. 

“Yeah. (Laughs.) We call him my mini-me,” Brings Plenty explained regarding his nephew. “It’s my brother’s son, but I look to him as a son, too. And that had nothing to do with him getting the role, that’s all him!”

Despite there being a clear connection between the characters in 1923 and Yellowstone, Brings Plenty revealed that even he doesn’t know if Teonna and Pete are the grandmother and grandfather of Chief Rainwater. 

Mo Brings Plenty developed a special connection to Aminah Nieves and her character

As part of his job as a cultural consultant, Brings Plenty worked closely with Nieves to develop her character on 1923. While Sheridan is responsible for casting the actress for the role, Brings Plenty offered her loads of support along the way.

When asked about her relationship with Brings Plenty behind the scenes, Nieves revealed that he really made things feel like a second home. Nieves went on to reveal that her experiences on set were more akin to a family reunion than anything else.

“It was a reunion, for me personally. It felt so nice! And of course, questions were asked,” she shared. 

Nieves added that she experienced a good deal of anxiety playing Teonna on 1923. But at the end of the day, she is grateful that Brings Plenty was on hand to offer her advice and give her support whenever she needed it.

The first season of 1923 is available on Paramount+, and, unlike the other prequel 1883, it has already been renewed for a second season.