NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (UPI) — Sons of Anarchy alum Kim Coates says giving outdoor speeches was one of the biggest challenges of playing 19th-century Utah Territory Governor and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leader Brigham Young in American Primeval.
Directed by Peter Berg and now streaming on Netflix, the six-episode, limited series depicts the regional clash of Young’s followers with westbound settlers, European immigrants and Indigenous people.
The cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Jai Courtney and Shea Whigham.
“I do quite a few [speeches], but the big one near the end of Episode 5 or 6 — i don’t remember which episode is now — but I’m outside with my flock, hundreds of people and children, and I’m giving this incredible speech as to why we will never give in and Zion is where we are right now. We’re not giving it up. God says this. God says that. This is the way it’s going to go,” Coates, 66, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“I remember having to memorize about a page of it and then the rest I didn’t have to memorize because Peter said it will be voiced over [later]. But, of course, as we’re doing it, Berg’s just so in love with the elements and what I’m doing, he goes: ‘Keep going! Let’s keep filming!'”
When filming ran after sunset in the rural area, candles were lit to help him see, according to Coates.
“It was just Peter Berg who pushed me and pushed me and poked me and poking the bear over and over again,” he said.
“I thought they did a pretty good job of editing that scene, in particular, of him giving some of those speeches to his people and [describing] the Mormon way of life and what we were not doing, and what we’re going to do and not to be afraid of anything because God will take care of us,” he added.
“It was a big moment and, for me, playing Brigham Young that night, for sure, it was tough.”
Coates said he had always wanted to work with Berg, a filmmaker whose credits include Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor and Patriots Day.
“To be offered Brigham Young, that never happens, A. And, B, it’s Peter Berg, who I’ve just been such a fan of my whole career. To finally get the chance to work with him and Shea Whigham — he was incredible — I just had the best time.”
Coates said he didn’t immediately connect with Young, mainly because he didn’t know a lot about him and his religion going into the project.
“But being able to soak myself in and having 2 1/2 months to prepare to play this guy, I felt ready to go and to make some choices and do this script justice and being with Peter Berg every day was pretty special,” Coates said.
When the series opens, Young is 53 years old, has 23 wives and is “at a pinnacle of survival of the Mormon religion,” Coates said.
“They were being persecuted like crazy, no matter where they were — Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri — and they found this place where they really, truly felt they could be not persecuted anymore and he was not ever, ever going to let go of that bone,” Coates added about Young.
“So, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, which actually really happened, you can make up your own mind how much Brigham Young knew or didn’t know, but I think Peter Berg and, and Mark Smith, the writer, have done an incredible historical job on writing this guy, Brigham Young, at this time, and, hopefully, I brought him to life with some truthfulness. No one is perfect in this world in 1857. No one. It is survival of the fittest, that’s for certain. And it’s a fascinating tale.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.