As you may have guessed, Longmire is based on the popular Walt Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson. I am excited about this series for a few reasons besides just “I like the book”. First, it’s continuing the Justified trend of taking TV crime out of the city (I mean everyone knows that cities can be rough, but the sticks can be just as fun…I mean dangerous). Second, A&E is doing the series and they rarely disappoint in terms of a well written show. But, most importantly I am excited about the cast.
Playing Walt Longmire is Australian actor Robert Taylor (pictured above). You may or may not have caught Taylor in his role as Agent Jones in The Matrix. But he has had numerous other roles associated with the crime genere including an Austiralian produced feature-length movie about Ned Kelly (think the Australian Jessie James) starring Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and the late Heath Ledger.
Katee Sackhoff of Battlestar Galactica fame will be playing Deputy Vic Moretti.
Playing Henry Standing Bear is none other than Lou Diamond Phillips. Phillips has played everything from an outlaw running with Billy the Kid to a tribal sheriff on a reservation.
Rounding out the cast is Baily Chase from Saving Grace and Cassidy Freeman from Smallville as Turk and Cady.
They’re shooting, but it’s not clear when the new show will hit the air. What do you think? Can you think of anyone else that would have been in your dream cast?
I would’ve preferred Adam Beach to Lou Diamond Phillips as Henry, although he’s probably a little too young (he’s ten years younger than Phillips), but I’m happy with the casting so far. Wish A&E would give us a hard date. So frustrating.
They wrapped the shoot in June and Lou Diamond Phillips said on twitter that there’d be no word on pickup until probably August at the earliest. It’s hard to wait. I’m a huge fan of Katee Sackhoff’s and can’t wait to see her tear into playing Vic. Like a lot of the other cast members as well. Many of them have tweeted about their impatience in hearing about pickup as well!
Adam Beach! That’s his name! I just thought of him as “that guy from Windtalkers” or Ira Hayes. I agree with you though Sarah, kinda partial to him over Lou Diamond Phillips. I just can’t get fully over Phillips’s made-for-TV syfy specials.
An interesting note on Lou Diamond Phillips…Craig Johnson said when actors were reading for the part, Phillips is the ONLY one who read Henry without contractions. I’m psyched to see Phillips as Henry. He was the one casting announcement that I heard and went… “perfect”!
Graham Greene was the character I saw and heard (as Henry Standing Bear) when I read the books, long before a movie was planned. After all, these guys are Viet Nam veterans, which means they’re 60-ish! I love Adam Beach but he’s too young, and too “cute” for this role. Last time I saw Lou Diamond Phillips was in a cameo as an undercover cop dressed as a (female) prostitute — he’s versatile! I don’t really care who’s in the series, I plan to love it!