Taylor Kitsch takes on the wilderness in his new show “American Primeval.”
“It’s very different from what I’ve done. I think you’re always chasing the risks and the unpredictability of it. I just love the rawness of it,” Kitsch, 43, told The Post.
Premiering Thursday, Jan. 9 on Netflix and created by Mark L. Smith (“The Revenant”) and directed by Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights”), “American Primeval” is a historical drama set in 1857 America, in a volatile period when pioneers, Mormon militia, Native Americans, and others are clashing as they try to survive the brutal environment.
The plot follows a mother, Sara (Betty Gilpin, “GLOW”), who is trying to cross a dangerous landscape with her son, Devin (Preston Mota). The reclusive Isaac (Kitsch) is tasked with guiding her.
“He’s kind of a protector. There is a bit of that in me,” said the “Friday Night Lights” star. “I think I can relate to that part of Isaac.”
The ensemble cast includes devout Mormon Jacob Pratt (Dane DeHaan), Shoshone warrior Red Feather (Derek Hinkey), bounty hunter Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney), mountain man pioneer Jim Bridger( Shea Whigham), and Mormon church leader Brigham Young (Kim Coates).
“I got to spend time down in Wind River with some of the elders there and learn to speak Shoshoni, and educate myself and a lot of what happened in that culture, which has been incredible,” he explained of preparing for the role.
Kitsch first first rose to fame starring as Tim Riggins in the NBC football drama “Friday Night Lights,” which is where he initially worked with Berg.
His other credits include Season 2 of HBO’s “True Detective,” starring as cult leader David Koresh in “Waco” and films “Battleship” (2012) and “Only The Brave” (2017).
Learning the Native American tribe’s language, “was probably the most fulfilling and toughest part” of “American Primeval,” he told the Post.
“I loved those days where I had like, a page of Shoshoni [in the script]. It just puts you so present because you have to focus so much.”
To get into the right mindset to play Isaac, Kitsch didn’t just read about the historical era.
“I worked with a shaman in Montana who kind of put me in a different headspace,” he explained.
“I still work with him on a personal level. My father passed away while we were shooting, so [the shaman] helped me with that, a lot.”
This show marks the actor’s first epic period piece.
“I’m always chasing something that’s very different,” he said.
“I’ve never really been on a horse, so that was a big adjustment for me to learn how to ride – at least well enough for a camera to trick you guys.”
To complicate matters, he had a broken foot during filming.
“I was in a boot for a lot of the show,” he said.
“So, when I would stop the horse, my wrangler – the guy who takes care of the horses – would help me down off camera, because I just couldn’t put much pressure on my foot. And, when you have these horses and you’re in a couple of feet of snow, anything can f–king happen.”
He compared working with horses to working with kids.
“Sometimes you see them in the morning and they’re great, and then… you come back, and they’re just over it and they don’t want to do anything.”
As for the upcoming reboot of “FNL” that was recently announced, Kitsch, who isn’t involved, said, “I’m as curious as everyone else.”
