Why Thomas From 1883 Looks So Familiar

"Yellowstone" has been a great success for Paramount Network, so it wasn't exactly shocking that a spin-off show was announced. However, the approach they chose to take with "Y: 1883" is considerably more surprising, while also incredibly appropriate. Instead of keeping things in the neo-Western surroundings of its parent show, "1883" opts for a more classic Western setting, and the late-19th-century members of the Dutton family toiling away against the backdrop of the gorgeous Montana landscapes are the grandparents of John Dutton (Kevin Costner). 

Along with the scenery, this story of the founders of the Dutton Ranch keeps up with "Yellowstone's" incredibly strong casting choices. From Faith Hill and Tim McGraw to Sam Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton, "Y: 1883" features so many famous faces that it's easy to miss a few. One of the more naggingly familiar figures in the show is the actor playing the Pinkerton agent Thomas. As it happens, you've probably seen him in all sorts of works before, even though you might not immediately remember his name. Let's take a look at why Thomas from "Y: 1883" looks so familiar. 

With his large frame, considerable charisma and great acting talent, LaMonica Garrett has featured in many roles that require presence and gravitas. After the obligatory string of bit parts and minor recurring roles, he made his presence known in 2011, when he joined FX's biker drama "Sons of Anarchy" as Deputy Sheriff Cane of the San Joaquin County Sheriff Department. One of the more dependable officers working under Lieutenant Eli Roosevelt (Rockmond Dumbar), Cane appears in 17 episodes across three seasons. 

"Sons of Anarchy" can be an extremely intense show, and in a 2013 interview with Spoiler TV, Garrett revealed that this vibe was often already there before the cameras even started rolling. "I've been a part of some other shows where a table read is just that -– it's just a read-through," the actor said. "But the 'SOA' table reads are different. They're intense. At the end of a reading, you can hear a pin drop in the room."

Fans of "Designated Survivor" will have no trouble recognizing LaMonica Garrett, who portrays Mike Ritter in the show. Mike starts out as a security officer assigned for the comparatively humble task of looking after Housing and Urban Development Secretary Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland). Due to the tragic event that catapults Kirkman into presidency, both of their jobs receive unexpected and significant upgrades, as Mike becomes the most important figure in the newly-minted President's Secret Service.

Mike is a dependable and knowledgeable presence who is always as ready to advise Kirkman as he is to protect him. As a sign of the President's trust, he often trusts Mike with tasks and information that are generally well outside the Secret Service's purview. As Garrett told Shadow and Act in October 2017, the ability to bring humanity to one of the most high-profile, yet anonymous professions out there was a fascinating challenge. "It's exciting," he said. "The way Secret Service people are looked at, they're seen and not heard. But they're always there. Their presence is always felt. You just don't really get to know who these people are. But everyone has a story. Everyone has a background. Everyone came from somewhere."

LaMonica Garrett's arguably most high-profile role before "1883" is also his most outlandish. As the central figure in the CW's massive "Arrowverse" crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Garrett takes on the dual roles of the benevolent cosmic traveler Mar Novu, aka the Monitor, and the anti-matter yang to his yin, the multiverse-destroying Anti-Monitor. 

In these capacities, Garrett spent much of the years from 2018 to 2020 on "Arrowverse" shows across the board, as the massive event unfolded on multiple fronts. In November 2019 interview with ComicBook, the actor discussed the arduous process that went to bringing these characters to life, and the long hours he had to spend in the makeup chair in order to switch between the characters. However, as an actor and a big comic book fan himself, he said that he ultimately found the process extremely rewarding. 

"It's a lot of fun," Garrett said. "It's a lot of work that goes into it, but it's the fun work that doesn't feel like work. But yeah, I'm having a great time with both characters, and they're so uniquely different that it's just, you know, it's fun to bring both of them to life."