Sumith Prasad
The eleventh episode of the fifth season of Paramount Network’s Western series ‘Yellowstone’ follows the aftermath of the death of Governor John Dutton. The Montana State Capitol welcomes the Dutton patriarch’s successor, Steven Rawlings, who is drastically different from his predecessor. While the late governor tried his best to preserve the sanctity of the state, the new face wants to change the face of Montana by opening its doors to developmental projects that will attract tourism and real estate, which can potentially kill the beauty and way of life in the region. In the episodes to come, Steven’s decisions will determine the fate of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Steven Rawlings is the New Governor of Montana
When John Dutton gets killed, Steven Rawlings becomes the new governor of Montana. He assumes his office in the eleventh episode of season 5 and makes decisions that severely affect the future of the state. Even though he admires his predecessor, his ideals and principles differ drastically from the ones of the Dutton patriarch, which explains why he decides to move ahead with the developmental project of Market Equities in a portion of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Even though John scrapes the lease involving his property and the multi-billion-dollar company, Steven reinstates it as per the original agreement.
To make the reinstatement possible, Steven also finds the Dutton Ranch’s conservation easement invalid, which helps him put the property in eminent domain. He wants to open Montana to unlimited possibilities, including tourism and expanded real estate, which will immensely fill his treasury. As the governor of this potentially transformed state, he wants to become the new face of development in the region. Having said that, Steven is not a dummy in the hands of Market Equities. He even proposes suggestions that serve the best interests of the state rather than the company. However, since he cannot spend the state’s money lavishly like Market Equities, he also has to consider what the firm wants.
Steven makes a new enemy, Senator Lynelle Perry, by joining Jamie Dutton to put the Dutton Ranch in eminent domain. While the senator wants to protect Montana’s sanctity, the governor wants to expand the revenue of his jurisdiction. Even though he allies with Jamie, he does not hesitate to throw his attorney general under the bus when it serves him. After the Helena PD’s announcement that John was killed, Steven orders the adoptive Dutton child to recuse himself from the developmental project to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. By turning against Jamie, he diverts the negativity towards him to the former, which makes him a wise politician.
Gareth Williams Plays Steven Rawlings in Yellowstone
Gareth Williams, a veteran actor known for playing Chief Redding in five episodes of Netflix’s globally renowned crime drama series ‘Mindhunter,’ portrays Steven Rawlings in ‘Yellowstone.’ The performer honed his craft in the 1980s by being part of several theater productions. He is also one of the founding members of the Naked Angels Theatre Company, based in New York City, along with figures such as Gina Gershon, Fisher Stevens, Marisa Tomei, Rob Morrow, and Helen Slater. After establishing himself as a prominent theater actor, he became part of the cast of popular shows such as NBC’s ‘Law & Order’ and HBO’s ‘From the Earth to the Moon.’
The major credits of Williams include Mike Potter in ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ Walon Burke in ‘The Shield,’ and William in ‘American Sausage Standoff.’ In recent years, the actor has been featured in several famed projects. He can be seen as Detective Edmonds in Netflix’s true crime series ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,’ Officer Watts in BET+’s ‘All the Queen’s Men,’ and Police Chief Warren in the third season of HBO’s acclaimed murder mystery series ‘True Detective.’ In addition, Williams is set to appear in another Taylor Sheridan series, Paramount+’s ‘Landman,’ as Arty Roberts. The actor is also a filmmaker who helmed the short films ‘Dark Room’ and ‘Can You See That?’
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