Jen Landon Admits ‘Yellowstone’ Can Be ‘Emotional’ Due to the Similarities to 1 of Michael Landon’s Most Famous Shows
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- Jen Landon is the daughter of Little House on the Prairie star Michael Landon.
- She was a soap opera star before landing the role of Teeter on Yellowstone.
- Landon admits that Yellowstone can be “emotional” because of the similarities to her father’s first hit show.
Yellowstone season 3 saw the arrival of Jen Landon’s Teeter to the bunkhouse, and she quickly became a fan favorite. As the lone female ranch hand on John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) beloved ranch, Landon’s character is a rugged cowgirl whose southern accent is nearly impossible to understand. And that’s what fans love about her.
Teeter has been a career-making role for Landon, who was previously known for her work in daytime television. She admits that starring on Yellowstone has been “emotional” at times because of the similarities to one of her father’s most famous roles.
Jen Landon starred in two different soap operas before ‘Yellowstone’
Before she landed the role of Teeter, Landon was popular in the world of soap operas. She starred as Gwen Norbeck Munson on As the World Turns from 2005 to 2008 and appeared in nearly 500 episodes. She returned in 2010 as the show came to an end.
As the half-sister of longtime character Carly Tenney, Landon’s Gwen was also known for a popular, years-long relationship with Will Munson. For her performance, Landon won three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series.
Landon continued her soap career in 2012 with a brief stint on The Young and the Restless as Heather Stevens. In 2017, she appeared in five episodes of Days of Our Lives as Hillary Nelson.
Jen Landon currently stars on 2 primetime dramas
Landon made the transition to prime time television in 2017 with appearances in Chicago Med and Animal Kingdom. She also popped up in the film The Front Runner with Hugh Jackman.
Then, she landed Yellowstone and became part of the regular cast. At the same time, Landon scored a recurring role on the CBS drama FBI: Most Wanted. Landon currently goes back and forth between playing Teeter on Yellowstone and Sarah Allen on FBI: Most Wanted.
As Landon has tried to make a name for herself in Hollywood, many have noticed she has a familiar last name. That’s because she’s the daughter of Hollywood legend Michael Landon, who starred in three different primetime series during his career — Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Highway to Heaven.
The ‘Yellowstone’ star admits the show has been ’emotional’ because of the similarities to ‘Bonanza’
Yellowstone is a very different project compared to the others on Landon’s resume. The Paramount Network drama is the first western that she’s been a part of. And she admits that playing Teeter can be emotional for her because her dad was such a big star in the western genre.
She says that getting the job on Yellowstone led her to watching Bonanza for the first time and seeing her dad as Little Joe Cartwright.
Jen Landon had never watched ‘Bonanza’
Landon said that the fact she gets to ride horses for work is “amazing.” She also revealed that the experience of learning about the western genre has reconnected her to her dad, who died from pancreatic cancer in 1991 when she was just seven years old.
“It’s really interesting because Bonanza preceded my experience of him. I watched Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. I didn’t watch Bonanza because he didn’t look like my dad to me,” Landon told Pepper Stewart TV.
“So, when I got the job on [Yellowstone], that’s when I started finding out that my dad could actually ride horses. And I started going back and watching Bonanza. There’s a tremendous synchronicity about the whole thing. It’s been a very emotional experience at times.”
Her ‘Yellowstone’ character has always ‘made sense’
As for the character of Teeter and her thick accent, Landon revealed on the Official Yellowstone Podcast that Taylor Sheridan does something unique to help her get the dialect just right. She says that the Yellowstone creator writes out her lines phonetically, so the sounds are “totally spelled out.”
Landon noted that she’s never had any problem understanding her character. However, she appreciates that Sheridan sounded some words out for her.
“I was tickled by the fact that she always made sense to me. I always knew exactly what she was saying, and that was not the case for a lot of people who would read it,” Landon said.
Yellowstone seasons 1 through 3 are now streaming on Peacock. Season 4 is expected to drop in late March or early April.
