1923 star Aminah Nieves discusses her surprise at her own character’s survival at the end of Season 2.

Speaking to Deadline, Aminah recalled her initial reaction to the final script from 1923 Season 2, specifically in regards to the fact that her own character, the young Teonna Rainwater, survived the series’ climactic season finale. While Aminah was “absolutely” caught off guard by the development, she also noted that “The thinker in me was like, well, she can’t die. She has to carry on life.” Aminah added, “But she leaves with nothing. She has so much still within her, but essentially she has no one. She’s on her own. She’s 16.”

The second prequel series to Taylor Sheridan’s hit Yellowstone, 1923 follows the Duttons of the era as they navigate the hardships leading up to the Great Depression. The series stars Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton, Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton, Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton, Darren Mann as Jack Dutton, and Isabel May as the series’ narrator in a reprisal of her role as Elsa Dutton from the first prequel series, 1883. Apart from the leading family, 1923 features an ensemble cast including Robert Patrick as Sheriff William McDowell, Timothy Dalton as business tycoon Donal Whitfield, and Jennifer Ehle as the abusive Sister Mary of the series’ American Indian boarding school.

Back in February, Helen Mirren opened up about her love for the series, her role in it, and her co-stars, particularly Ford. “Well, if any other job came my way where I got to work with Harrison, I would say yes in a nanosecond. If it happens to be an extension of this story, absolutely,” Mirren said. “As long as Harrison is in it, I’ll be there.” Ford himself offered a remarkably similar take, stating “I value this relationship that we’re responsible for. It’s a demonstration of how to get through life with a domestic partner… that partnership is very powerful and instructive. I’ll leave it at that.”

What’s Next for the Yellowstone Franchise?

In a recent report, it was noted that the future of Sheridan’s Yellowstone franchise might not be as bright as fans would like it to be. This news comes amidst reports that Paramount’s incoming Streaming Chief Cindy Holland has set her target budget for new episodes of any given series around or below the $9 million mark. While this might seem like a reasonable figure on the surface, the frequent star power associated with Sheridan’s shows, not to mention their extensive location shoots, have seen his personal average episode budget reach somewhere between $12 million and $16 million, which could easily prove problematic as things progress.

1923 is currently available for streaming on Paramount+.