From riverdale to yellowstone: hart denton finally finds his cowboy roots
Little Rock, Arkansas, wasn’t exactly a launchpad for Hart Denton’s teen angst roles on 13 Reasons Why and Riverdale. Fair enough – those were clearly bygone days. But the actor’s trajectory took a dramatic turn after landing the role of Chet, a 10 Petal Ranch foreman, in the Paramount+ smash hit, Yellowstone. And now, he’s experiencing a surprising homecoming, proving he’s officially earned his stripes as a genuine hometown hero.
The yellowstone effect: a texas-sized redemption
“Taylor Sheridan brought this cowboy thing back,” Denton told me over Zoom, a palpable shift in his demeanor. “The people of Arkansas reached out to me in a way that I’ve never heard from them before – it’s like they’re finally proud of me. Even my grandma watches! She’ll call me and ask me questions. I’m like, ‘Grandma, I can’t tell you these things. And if I knew, I still couldn’t tell you.’ ” The sentiment is remarkable; a shift from the shadowy roles that preceded this newfound attention.
A tragic end in texas
Chet’s journey, however, ended abruptly. In episode six, titled “A Cowboy Saint,” the character met an untimely demise after attempting to blackmail the Dutton family. Denton reveals that the story arc was intentionally designed for a tragic outcome, fitting with the show’s established tone. “Chet is our character with nine lives,” he explained. “He has almost died many times before we start this show. This is his family, and he’ll do whatever he can to survive. But I almost look at it like, I don’t see how he doesn’t go out in some sort of way like that. It’s just so heartbreaking, because he’s not doing it for himself.”
Cowboy camp and a childhood of cameras
Denton’s immersion in the role stemmed from a surprisingly formative experience: a month spent at Taylor Sheridan’s legendary cowboy camp. “I grew up around ranchers, and my sisters rode horses competitively, like hardcore,” he said. “So we were at the barn five days a week, and I just felt like I knew who this guy was. When I got to Texas, I met with [former showrunner] Chad Feehan and we talked about his backstory—where he comes from, leaving home when he was really young, and joining up with this ranch that becomes his family. But what was even more helpful than that was when we did a month of cowboy camp. We’re out on these trail rides with the cowboys and one of them told me that he left home when he was 12 years old and joined a ranch. All I was telling myself was just to be a sponge and absorb everything that this guy is telling me about the kind of life that he’s had.”
A grueling transformation
The preparation for Chet’s final scene was intense. “I had to do a full head cast where they put the goo all over you and then seal it off,” Denton recounted. “It’s a 45-minute process. You’ve got these little tiny holes to breathe through, but you can’t see anything. It’s completely black. But our head of makeup is just the most incredible guy. He did Heath Ledger’s makeup for The Dark Knight. I’m obsessed with that movie. So every day I was just asking about it. Because I was really scared, actually, of the scene. I was very freaked out, like, Oh, this is going to be gnarly.” Even the seasoned cowboys, he notes, operate with a brutal efficiency – “Every single thing that those guys do, they make it look effortless.”
Looking ahead – sheridan’s circle
Despite the bittersweet ending for Chet, Denton remains optimistic about his future with Taylor Sheridan. “I’ve talked to some people, but we’ll see,” he admitted. “Right now, the Paramount to NBC thing is happening, so that’s all being figured out. But yes, I would say there is more to come. It’s a shame they couldn’t name you Hart Dutton in the series. It’s so close.” The series’ staggering debut – the most-watched original series debut in Paramount+ history – undoubtedly solidified Denton’s place within Sheridan’s increasingly influential orbit. And with a career finally finding its footing, it’s clear: Hart Denton is ready for his next chapter.