Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Kristy Phillips
We got to chat with actor Brecken Merrill, who plays Tate Dutton on the hit television show Yellowstone, about preparing for emotional scenes, working with Kevin Costner, and if the show has changed the way he looks at American history.
What initially sparked your interest in acting?
My aunt worked on a children’s show, and we got to visit the set. It was colorful and fun, and we got to eat snacks at craft services. When we moved to Southern California, my sister asked if we could try it. My mom was hesitant and warned us that it would be a lot of hard work and a lot of driving, and you hear 100 “no’s” before 1 “yes.” We still wanted to try, so she got us a meeting with an agent, and the rest is history.
You currently play Tate Dutton on Yellowstone, which is the most-watched US TV show since The Walking Dead. How does it feel to work on one of the biggest shows?
It is an incredible honor to get to work with so many talented professionals. It hasn’t really changed my day-to-day life when I’m at home. I don’t get recognized very often because I’m usually a year more grown than the character Tate people see on their TV.
In season 4, Tate went through a traumatic experience that stayed with him, and now in season 5, he has to deal with losing his sibling to be. How do you prepare for those major emotional scenes and get into Tate’s headspace?
When I have a dark or emotional scene to do, I prepare by going into myself. I get quiet and sit with the scene if that makes sense. I have a few breathing exercises I do. Having the physical helps with the emotional which in turn helps heighten the physical response.
Before working on Yellowstone, did you know much about Native American history? At this point in the show, has your knowledge of Native American history grown?
I actually have Native American blood from my mother’s side, but her culture was whitewashed before the 1920s, so we don’t know which tribe we came from. I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn certain ceremonies and customs from Mo Brings Plenty. He is such a nice guy, and he finds little teachable moments throughout the day, and I take away lessons without even realizing it.
Do you feel that Tate’s role has changed over the seasons?
Tate’s role has changed as he’s grown up, but nothing too drastic just yet. When we first started I was a cute little kid whose purpose in the story was showcasing John Dutton’s wish to right the wrongs he made raising his own children. Tate was a MacGuffin in season 2 – his kidnapping sent the Duttons on a killing spree to save him. Season 3 was about healing and resiliency. I think killing a man in season 4 to save his mother was a turning point for Tate. His initial reaction was fear, but once his father pointed out he had already faced the worst-case scenario and come out, a victor, Tate really took that in. Now faced with the family tragedy of losing his baby brother I think we’ll see Tate’s resiliency come into play once again.
Has this role influenced your understanding of American history or changed the way you look at the history you’re taught in school?
My mom is a big history lover, so I grew up hearing a less happy version of things like the first Thanksgiving. Christopher Columbus isn’t celebrated as a hero in our house. When we were little, we called it Keep-Your-Germs-To-Yourself Day. America has a dark past. That’s just a fact. It’s a story that plays out in nature – animals competing for resources. Someone is going to win, and someone is going to lose. Mother Nature doesn’t give out participation trophies. As for my role in Yellowstone, I wouldn’t say it has changed the way I look at history, but it has confirmed what I’d already been taught.
Throughout the series, Tate has shared a lot of quiet moments with his grandfather, more than other characters in the show. Have you learned a lot from working closely with Kevin Costner in those scenes? Were you familiar with Kevin Costner’s work prior to Yellowstone?
I was so young when we started filming I didn’t know who Kevin Costner was, but I could tell by the way people treated him and his presence that he was a leader. On the first day of filming, he called all of us actors into the great room and talked about how we were all here to make art and there was no room for egos on our set or in our work. We were a team with a common goal. Everyone seemed to relax after that. I enjoy our quiet grandfather/grandson scenes. Even when we’re not filming, Kevin still makes time to teach me things like roping or how to throw a rock with accuracy. He has kids around my age so he knows how to talk to me rather than at me.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
When you’re a child actor, it’s not just you doing the work. It literally takes a team of people to support you. It’s a full-time job for your parents and it affects your whole family if you get a job with a long shoot schedule, so I would say make sure you have a strong support system and show your appreciation to your team. Watch a lot of movies and shows from actors you admire. Read a lot. And if/when you get some success, pay it forward by helping someone else achieve their goal.