1923 fans are not the only ones holding their breath through new season 2 episodes, as even actors on the show have revealed themselves to be fans who enjoy watching along. Madison Elise Rogers, who plays Lindy, even admitted to ScreenRant during a recent interview that she sometimes holds back from reading certain scenes in the script to ensure a first-time viewing experience when the episode airs. But one storyline she knows from back to front, of course, is Lindy and Christy’s nightmare-ish captivity in Donald Whitfield’s (Timothy Dalton) home.
In season 1 of the beloved Yellowstone prequel, Lindy and Christy were introduced as prostitutes who were entertaining Whitfield’s henchman Banner Creighton, until the boss decided to employ the girls himself. His view of pleasure, however, was much more about causing pain — or rather watching one of the girls inflict it on the other. While the season 1 finale flipped the switch, highlighting how he taught Lindy that power could bring happiness before he ripped it away by having Christy whip her instead, the season 2 brought yet another shock: Lindy was now speaking to Whitfield as almost an equal (or so she thinks until he brutally reminds her otherwise) while helping him keep Christy captive and abused.
ScreenRant interviewed Rogers about her surprising 1923 season 2 storyline, which is set to pick up again in upcoming episodes. While Rogers offers her personal insight into Lindy’s actions and defends the importance of the plot to the narrative, she also gives a sneak peek of how it will amp up throughout the season. The actor also teases the “unreal” season 2 finale, praises her costar Timothy Dalton, and reveals which other Taylor Sheridan show she’d appear in if she could.
Madison Elise Rogers Teases Plenty Of Excitement To Come In 1923 Season 2
“The Last Episode Is Unreal”
Yellowstone fans are hoping for answers to questions about the greater Dutton family mythology – and lineage – but that doesn’t mean the supporting cast doesn’t have their own journey in 1923. Rogers offers ScreenRant morsel to digest when it comes to Lindy. “I think she’s definitely going on this journey that we’re kind of getting a little taste of season 2, episode 1.”
The season 2 premiere saw Lindy step into her (modicum of) power in a disheartening way, so it may be interesting to see if she becomes a partner in crime for Whitfield or turns the tables on him. Either way, Rogers can’t wait for the reactions. “I’m excited for people to see where she goes. I think she’s a very interesting character, and I also want to see how it turns out [onscreen].”
One episode that she is especially excited to see unfold is the finale, which she says is unmissable “for many reasons, not just for Lindy.” The actor’s praise doesn’t stop there, and she continues, “The last episode is unreal. I cannot wait to see it. I read most of it, and I had such a visceral reaction to it.”
If Lindy does survive the end of the series, it will be interesting to see if there’s a place for her in 1944. But Rogers has a different century in mind when asked which other Taylor Sheridan show she’d like to be part of: 1883. “I watched that, and I was floored. I thought about it for weeks after it was done,” she explains, echoing the sentiments of a good number of viewers. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It was incredible.”
Why Madison Elise Rogers Wants You To Power Through Lindy’s 1923 Scenes
“If Whitfield Existed, This Would Be Something That Actually Happens”
One of the fascinating ironies of 1923 is what the audience is willing to put up with. Born from the ashes of 1883, which killed off its main character and then disposed of the rest by the time 1923 was ready to air, the latest Yellowstone chapter has seen systematic abuse of Native Americans, the mass murder of Dutton relatives, and the bitterest Winter since Game of Thrones. And yet, it is the storyline of Dalton’s Whitfield and the two prostitutes he mistreats that draws the most ire from viewers.
Rogers, for one, is protective of her character but also of the story Sheridan is setting out to tell. “I think a lot of women can see themselves in a similar position or maybe have experience, to a smaller degree, of being in a situation with a man that’s powerful and dangerous,” she begins. It may be a difficult plot to watch unfold, but that’s part of the point. “That is scary, and I think there’s something realistic about it. I feel like, if Whitfield existed, this would be something that actually happens.”
Of course, the actor also understands that audiences have their limits too. “I get it. I know it feels brutal,” she admits. “But I think it’s showing this very real side of a dangerous man and how he abuses his power. These women are just collateral in his scheme.” Or at least they were both collateral until Lindy started siding with Whitfield.
She is leaning into it, but I think she’s completely been brainwashed.
While season 1 saw both Lindy and Christy trapped in a similarly precarious position, the season 2 premiere revealed that Whitfield has successfully coached Lindy into taking pleasure in the violence she visits upon Christy. When asked whether there was a villainous nature hiding inside Lindy, or if she was dealing with a trauma response, Rogers gives a very thoughtful analysis. “She is leaning into it, but I think she’s completely been brainwashed. She’s doing what she has to do, as gruesome as it is, and she’s trying to get through what she’s going through.”
I took it as she is in this house with this very wealthy, very powerful, and obviously very dangerous man. I think he’s given her this acceptance, or something along those lines, so I think she’s feeling favored by him. I think it’s also that she needs to survive.
Many of Rogers’ 1923 scenes may be brutal in nature, but she has the benefit of acting them out alongside one of the greatest Hollywood stars around: Timothy Dalton. Even better, the actor claims that her venerated costar is “such a warm person, and actually very funny.” While their onscreen dynamic may vary between chilling and “very intense when you’re watching them,” Rogers explains, “In between scenes, we’re laughing and having fun. It wasn’t always so intense when we were actually working.”
The Art Of Taylor Sheridan’s Storytelling Inspires His Actors
“There Are Some Things That I Want To Have Just For Me And Her”
Mysterious though they may be, Lindy and Christy didn’t just pop up out of nowhere in Banner Creighton’s bed. Taylor Sheridan’s television universe is an expansive one that allows even more minor characters to have fully fleshed out lives. But the question of who Lindy was before Whitfield began shaping her according to his will is – as of right now – Rogers’ little secret. “I discussed that a little bit with the director, but the fun part about it was that I feel like I really created that for myself,” the actor reveals.
It felt very personal, and it felt secretive in a way, which is nice. Because there are some things, as an actor, that I want to have just for me and her.
Lest a skeptic decry that this just means there’s no story to tell, Rogers clarifies, “I do have a whole backstory for her, and I did have those discussions with Cailyn Rice [who plays Christy] about where we believe we came from, and how we met, and all of that.” The art of nailing down offscreen details that inform onscreen dynamics is surprisingly one that not every actor ascribes to, but that kind of attention to detail helps a show like 1923 feel all the more rich and lived in.
Rogers attributes some of the ease she has to Sheridan laying the groundwork on paper. “Stepping into the world of Taylor Sheridan is unbelievable,” the actor gushes. “He has such a poetic way of writing, and he just creates such interesting characters. It really is a treat, and I feel very lucky to be a part of it at all.” And given that Sheridan has dwelled longer than some would deem necessary on Lindy and Christy’s suffering at the hands of Whitfield, it’s a safe guess that the Yellowstone architect and some interesting twists in store for them.