While most of the usual suspects amongst the Yellowstone ensemble were settled in place in Montana throughout the majority of Season 4’s run, Jefferson White’s cowboy-in-training Jimmy was more of a travelin’ man like his barely-buddy Travis (as portrayed by series co-creator Taylor Sheridan). Jimmy was shipped off to the famed Four Sixes ranch in Texas as a form of evolutionary punishment for breaking his word with John and letting Mia convince him to get back on a horse. Knowing he’s set to head up the 6666 spinoff series, I was surprised to learn that he would still be a series regular for Yellowstone Season 5, and it was apparently something of a surprise to White himself.
CinemaBlend chatted up Jefferson White to promote the recent release of Yellowstone Season 4 on Blu-ray and DVD — which features Tim McGraw laying out a pretty surprising factoid about the Dutton family — and after I expressed my own surprise about Season 5 and asked where things stood on that and the Four Sixes spinoff, White admitted the actors aren’t always in the loop on what Taylor Sheridan has going inside his head. In his words:
Yeah, I mean, I was excited to hear, too, because we don't really know. Jimmy and Emily, at the end of Season 4, are driving off into the sunset in their big truck, and we weren't really sure what that meant for us, you know? And at this point, to be honest, I've just kind of learned to put my faith in Taylor Sheridan, the show's creator, to put my trust in him, because what he comes up with is always much, much better than what I could come up with. So at this point, I've just learned to say, 'You know, boss, wherever you need me, whatever you need me to do, I'll be there.'
Now, it’s safe to say Jefferson White was absolutely being coy with some of that answer, at least as far as the 6666 spinoff’s current situation is, as it’s likely somewhere in the midst of its production process. But at the time they were filming Season 4 back in 2020 (and possibly early 2021), I can definitely believe that White and co-star Kathryn Kelly had no idea how their characters’ stories would continue beyond that season’s highlight-filled finale, so that by the time the Season 5 news came around, it would have been huge for the two actors to hear.
Jefferson White, who was able to extend his Yellowstone-verse appreciation through hosting the official podcast, continued:
And I'm grateful that there's still more work for us to do. I'm very excited to still have a job. I didn't know what that meant for Jimmy's future. So I'm very excited to find out what that means for Jimmy's future. I don't know yet, but I've given up on trying to guess, and I'm just ready to try to hold on.
Both Jimmy and Jefferson White had to hold on for dear life at the famed Four Sixes ranch, where the character and actor learned what life is really like for those working on a massive ranch. Luckily for Jimmy, that experience sparked a new relationship in the process, complete with horse diddling, which will clearly carry on throughout 6666 and into Season 5, considering Kathryn Kelly's future already being locked down.
How Jefferson White Would Feel About Jimmy's Ancestors Showing Up In Prequel
What with 1883 telling the origin story of the Dutton family's presence within Paraidse Valley in Montana, and the upcoming prequel 1932 likely giving fans more family history to chew on, it’s only fair to speculate about other Yellowstone characters’ family histories getting touched upon at some point in the franchise’s future. Kelsey Asbille, for one, would like to see Monica’s ancestry showcased in some way, and while Jefferson White certainly wouldn’t dislike to see the Hurdstrom family tree depicted in a prequel, he hilariously doesn’t have high hopes for any of them. In his words:
That would be amazing. [Laughs.] Jimmy's unfortunate ancestors just getting kicked in the nuts all through time. The history of Jimmy's ancestors getting kicked in the nuts throughout the American West. I would love to see that. That'd be incredible. It wouldn't go well for them, if Jimmy is any indication. Jimmy has really relied on modern medical science to keep him alive every time that he gets bucked off a horse and breaks his spine, so we'll see how that goes for his ancestors.
To the Hurdstrom bloodline’s credit, it has at least subsisted long enough for Jimmy to have been birthed, so there’s at least a bit of optimism, perhaps. I think it would be amazing if one of Jimmy ancestors was revealed to be a total Mensa-worthy genius back in the 1932 timeline. I wouldn’t put a whole lot of money on it or anything, but I’d love to see it.
For now, there’s no telling when Jimmy might pop up again on our screens, as Yellowstone Season 5 isn’t planned to premiere any earlier than the fall. That said, there’s hope that 6666 will make its streaming debut this summer for everyone with a Paramount+ subscription. Maybe that’s where we’ll get a couple of nut-crushing flashbacks to 1932, similar to how Season 4 set up 1883.
