Jessica Frances Dukes, best known for her role as Special Agent Maya Miller in Netflix's Ozark, has opened up about her new character in the crime drama The Westies, describing her as a 'ballsy woman' and a stark departure from her previous FBI role.
The series, which premiered on MGM+ (available via Amazon Prime Video) on 12th July 2026, is a gritty period drama based on the notorious real-life Irish American gang that operated from Hell's Kitchen from the 1960s to the late 1980s. Co-created by Narcos' Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the show follows FBI agent Birdie Polk (Dukes) and her reluctant police partner Glenn Keenan (Titus Welliver) as they navigate a dangerous criminal underworld.
A New Kind of FBI Agent
Dukes shared her initial hesitation about returning to an FBI role, but was quickly won over by the script. 'To jump into FBI world again, at first I was like, "Do I want to do FBI again?" and then I read it and I was like, "Oh, this chick is not Maya Miller,"' she said. 'I was so excited to dive into this ballsy woman. It was so much fun — I loved playing her.'
Set in the early 1980s, the series places Polk in a position of power as the sole woman leading a major investigation. 'She's given this opportunity to bring these guys down and she's put in this place of power in [the early 1980s],' Dukes explained. 'There is one woman in a sea of men running this show. I feel like Birdie starts the show with the reward and now it's all about, "Is she going to succeed and prove all the naysayers waiting for her failure wrong?" And I truly believe she's got the golden ticket with Keenan.'
Welliver on His Character and the Show's Appeal
Titus Welliver, who famously portrays Harry Bosch in Bosch, plays Keenan, a detective with complex ties to Westies leader Eamonn Sweeney (J. K. Simmons). Welliver noted the personal connection to the story, saying, 'For me, it's very personal because I'm a New Yorker and I was in and around that time.'
He contrasted Keenan with his iconic character Bosch, stating, 'All characters are different and Glenn Keenan is the polar opposite of Harry Bosch if you look at these two guys.' Discussing the dynamic between his character, Simmons' Sweeney, and Dukes' Polk, Welliver added, 'The scenes with J.K. were great because those worlds are very markedly different. Sweeney and Keenan have a long history together, whereas the relationship with Polk and Keenan is new, but there's an interesting similarity. So they're both trying to puppeteer Keenan and he is basically saying, "Nobody has strings on me." And that's what I think is the interesting aspect of that character and he emerges with a sense of independence, but at a serious cost.'
Plot and Setting
The official synopsis from MGM+ describes The Westies as 'a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang of the same name.' The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies' home turf in Hell's Kitchen promises a financial windfall. Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies' legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente. But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI's ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.
Critical Reception and Availability
The Westies is now streaming exclusively on MGM+ in the UK, with a free trial available for new subscribers. The series has been praised for its authentic portrayal of the era and its compelling lead performances, particularly the chemistry between Dukes and Welliver. Fans of The Sopranos and other gangster dramas are likely to find the show's blend of historical accuracy and gritty storytelling appealing.
