Why Yellowstone's Jefferson White Wants Jimmy To Change

Actor Jefferson White has played struggling cowboy wannabe Jimmy Hurdstrom on the hit Paramount Network series "Yellowstone" for four seasons. In Season 1, Episode 1, Jimmy's grandfather (Stanley Peternel) pleads with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) to hire his grandson, a kid with a criminal past, ostensibly in hopes the life of a ranch hand will straighten him out. Throughout the series, Jimmy struggles to live up to the expectations that come with the "Y" that Rip (Cole Hauser) forcefully branded on his chest. Notable moments in his "Yellowstone" arc include his many attempts at bronco riding and his romance with barrel racer Mia (Eden Brolin), with the former landing him in the hospital and the latter quickly going off the rails.

John sends Jimmy to the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas early in Season 4, hoping that he will grow up, regain John's trust, and return a man. Season 4 spends a lot of time focusing on fan-favorite Jimmy's transformation from a perpetual screw-up to someone deserving of the many chances he's given to turn his life around. In the Season 4 finale, John tells Jimmy he doesn't owe him anything, and the young cowboy heads back to Texas.

Jimmy's fate is currently up in the air in terms of what awaits him at the Four Sixes Ranch. How will life change for the former Yellowstone Dutton Ranch employee? What is in store where his fiancée, Emily (Kathryn Kelly), is concerned? "Yellowstone" fans will have to wait and see, but White has high hopes for his character moving forward.

In a December 2021 interview with CinemaBlend, "Yellowstone" actor Jefferson White had this to say about his character: "I guess I hope that one day, Jimmy gets some sense of agency, that he gets some sense of getting to make his own decisions. I think that would represent growing up for him. But I don't know if that day is coming anytime soon."

Earlier this month, "Yellowstone" executive producer David Glasser spoke to Variety from the 6666 Ranch where filming was wrapping on Season 1 of "1883" and, according to Glasser, work on the second "Yellowstone" spin-off, "6666," is underway. In February 2021, Deadline reported that "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan was working on another spin-off inspired by the West Texas ranch that employed Jimmy. It's a place "where world-class cowboys are born and made," per Deadline. 

Although no casting news about "6666" has been confirmed, it sure seems like Jimmy is poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming series. If he does become a more central figure, it's reasonable to hope that the changes White voiced in his chat with CinemaBlend might come to fruition on the spin-off. However, in a recent interview with Looper, White appeared clueless about Jimmy's future. He commented, "I think you won't be surprised to hear that they don't tell me anything, and it's mostly my job just to try to hold on to the bucking bronco at any given moment." It sounds like White and his character have much in common.