When the new Dutton Ranch spinoff began filming in Texas last summer, one of the cast members almost missed it. Finn Little told People he found out he was cast in the neo-Western series just days before filming started on the latest installment of the Yellowstone franchise, which has had fans waiting in frenzy for nearly two years.
'I didn't hear anything about it until like a week before I flew out [to film],' Little said. 'Yeah, it was just like, "Hey, it's happening, hope you're ready." I was like, "Oh, all right. Let's go."'
Regardless of the timing, it was good news for the 19-year-old Australian actor, who started playing Beth and Rip's adoptive son, Carter, on the original Yellowstone when he was 14. 'Yellowstone has been a huge part of my life. It's awesome,' he added.
After Yellowstone ended in 2024, largely due to creative and scheduling differences between lead star Kevin Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan, plans shifted to create another show revolving around Beth and Rip, played by Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, respectively. Little said he was 'excited' by the prospect to continue playing Carter, who has evolved from a woebegone, orphaned teenager to a well and able young man. 'I wanted to see more from Carter. I wanted to keep playing the character, for sure,' he told the outlet.
Dutton Ranch sees Beth and Rip moving to Texas after a fire destroys their Montana ranch. They buy a 5,000-acre spread with 175 Black Angus and set upon building a new life with Carter. 'A lot has changed since we last saw him,' Little said of his alter ego, who becomes entangled in a Romeo and Juliet type of situation with Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), the granddaughter of rival ranch owner Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening). 'I think Carter sees a lot of Beth in Oreana, that fierceness and that strong personality. I think that's what attracts Carter,' Little revealed.
The magnetic chemistry shared by Beth and Rip is alive and well in Dutton Ranch, which is currently streaming on Paramount+ with new episodes coming out every week on Fridays. 'Beth and Rip are a staple of Yellowstone. They're some of people's favorite characters. So if you love Beth and Rip, you'll love Dutton Ranch, and you'll love all the new problems that come along with it,' Little said. He added: 'It's never an easy life for the Duttons.'
Little's first onscreen acting role was in the 2014 Australian short film The Great Champ Fernley. But he broke ground in the US by starring opposite Angelina Jolie in the 2021 thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, playing a boy who witnesses a murder and goes on the run with a smokejumper (Jolie) in the Montana wilderness. Little also appeared with Nicolas Cage in the psychological thriller The Surfer, which premiered at Cannes in 2024.
