Yellowstone's Scenic Shots Drew Josh Holloway To The Show

The setting of "Yellowstone" may be merciless, but you cannot deny it's also breathtaking. These ranges are, after all, the mountains for which the state of Montana was named, and this duality between murder and majesty is one of the most prominent themes in the "Yellowstone" universe. For every ruthless, violent moment, be it in either "Yellowstone" or in its spin-offs, every moment when someone brutalizes another human being in the name of land or security, we are struck by how beautiful the scenery that hosts the brutality is. Conversely, every time we observe the magnificence of the Rocky Mountains skyline, we are reminded of the incredible murderousness we've just seen beneath it.

That's not exactly good news for the Dutton family or any of the other characters of "Yellowstone." Still, for the actors who play them, it's an opportunity to work in one of the most gorgeous regions of North America. When the scenery looks like this, it must be among the many reasons most would jump at the chance to play a role in "Yellowstone." So it was for Season 3's primary antagonist, Josh Holloway.

Josh Holloway, known to many as Sawyer Ford of "Lost," played a pivotal role in Season 3 of "Yellowstone." This was the role of Roarke Morris, the conniving hedge fund manager and real estate developer with designs on John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) titular ranch. Holloway had plenty to sink his teeth into in portraying Roarke, not the least of which was a shockingly memorable death-by-rattlesnake scene in Season 4.

But that wasn't the only reason Holloway took the role. There was, of course, the chance to work with Kevin Costner. And then, there's that awe-inspiring Montana scenery. In a 2020 interview with Collider, Holloway admitted that it was one of the primary reasons he was excited to work on "Yellowstone." In fact, it was also one of the reasons that it had become one of his favorite TV shows well before its casting directors offered him a role. 

"That's one big reason why it was my favorite show on TV," he said. "It just took me there. It takes you to the Rockies. It takes you out there. You're like, Oh, my god, I wanna be there.' That's what attracted me to the show. They create such a beautiful world and do a hell of a job with that." Indeed, the epic cinematography of "Yellowstone" has received plenty of praise, particularly for its ability to blend the breathtaking scenery with such visceral action.