“Yellowstone” is an ensemble drama that has always been home to a wide variety of different character types, and the way that these distinct personalities clash with one another is one of the show’s greatest strengths. However, the series lacks somewhat less traditional character types, something it seems to have been reckoning with over the last few years.
First appearing in Season 3, Episode 2 (“Freight Trains and Monsters”), Teeter (Jen Landon) shakes things up on the Dutton Ranch with her crass demeanor, brazen attitude, and outspoken nature. Clearly a fan favorite, she has appeared in every single episode of the series since her introduction. However, it’s the way that she goes against gender stereotypes that might be the “Yellowstone” character’s most defining attribute.
The actor spoke about Teeter to Decider and addressed the character’s many layers after it was mentioned that her pink hair gives her femininity. “Teeter is gender-defying in a lot of ways,” Landon explained. She also opened up about the character’s inspiration and how Teeter differs from the person she was based on. “The pink hair was in the character description based on somebody Taylor [Sheridan] knows. What wasn’t in the character description was dipping tobacco … When I auditioned for the role, I used chewing gum as a substitute for dip and wore a baseball cap.”
Jen Landon clearly has a lot of love for her Yellowstone character
Those two choices have since become pivotal aspects of Teeter on “Yellowstone” as she boldly goes against the more standard style of dress and countenance that female characters display in the series. After all, even Beth (Kelly Reilly), who also goes against what’s expected of women in many ways, still dresses very traditionally.
Meanwhile, Teeter not only displays aspects traditionally associated with both males and females. She is also demonstrably hurt when she is nearly kicked off the ranch after having girls in the bunkhouse causes two other male characters to develop a violent rivalry. Fortunately, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) speaks with Rip (Cole Hauser), and it is decided that Teeter can stay.
Still, Jen Landon also revealed that there are aspects on the page that help to create her unique “Yellowstone” character. “I can’t remember it exactly, but even separate from that, all of Teeter’s dialogue is written phonetically,” she revealed. “My prep is always a little different for everything, but for that audition, I looked at a lot of photos of female cowgirls and female ranchers for two hours until I just sort of felt something in my body.”
Well, whatever she’s doing, it’s clearly working. As noted, Teeter has been a fixture since her first appearance despite being a supporting character, and will almost certainly be back for more when “Yellowstone” returns for Season 5, Part 2 in 2024.
