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Netflix’s Ransom Canyon is a sweeping romantic Western drama created by Wednesday and All American showrunner April Blair, set to premiere in 2025. The series promises a blend of mystery, romance, and nostalgia, all set against the Texas Hill Country.
Led by Transformers star Josh Duhamel and Friday Night Lights star Minka Kelly, Ransom Canyon explores the emotional terrain of grief, longing, and community.
Duhamel plays grieving rancher Staten Kirkland, while Kelly stars as Quinn O’Grady, a strong-willed dance hall owner with unresolved feelings and a complex past. The supporting cast features a mix of industry veterans and rising stars, including Eoin Macken, Jack Schumacher, James Brolin, and Lizzy Greene.
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Ransom Canyon follows a tapestry of intersecting lives from ranchers and musicians to teens trying to find their place, all tied to a land that means everything to them. Blair’s vision was to reimagine the bygone-era Western with a modern twist, blending heartfelt romance with compelling drama.
Ransom Canyon: Cast overview
Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland
Staten is the stoic owner of the Double K Ranch, still haunted by the deaths of his wife and son. Determined to protect his family's land, he’s reluctantly drawn back into the realm of human connection through Quinn. Duhamel, known for Love, Simon, Las Vegas, and Jupiter’s Legacy, brings warmth and vulnerability to this emotionally closed-off cowboy.
Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady
Quinn is an independent dance hall owner with a New York past and a long-standing emotional tie to Staten. Once the best friend of Staten’s late wife, Quinn now walks the line between loyalty and longing. Kelly is best known for her roles in Euphoria and Titans.
Eoin Macken as Davis Collins
Davis Collins is an Ivy League-educated rancher and Staten’s brother-in-law. He is seen as a romantic rival, as he becomes a source of conflict and complexity. He owns the modern Bar W Ranch, a property mired in debt, and uses his charm and intelligence to mask a growing desperation to keep it afloat. Macken’s previous credits include La Brea, Merlin, and The Night Shift.
Jack Schumacher as Yancy Grey
Yancy Grey is a charismatic drifter whose past is as mysterious as the scars he tries to hide. Quiet and observant, Yancy rolls into Ransom Canyon looking for work, not connection. But when he’s hired as a ranch hand by the no-nonsense Cap Fuller, his attempt to fly under the radar starts to unravel. Schumacher is known for roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Chicago P.D.
James Brolin as Cap Fuller
Cap Fuller is a tough-as-nails former Army captain turned ranch owner, whose life took a hard turn after the tragic loss of his only son in Afghanistan. Channeling his sorrow into work and solitude, and the occasional stiff drink, Cap now oversees the slowly deteriorating Fuller Ranch. Brolin brings decades of experience with past roles in Hotel, Sweet Tooth, and Marcus Welby, M.D.
Lizzy Greene as Lauren Brigman
Lauren Brigman is the ambitious head cheerleader of Ransom Canyon High, with dreams far bigger than the dusty borders of her hometown. Determined to secure a future for herself, she pins her hopes on a cheerleading scholarship as her ticket out.
Her personal life, however, is tangled, caught between Reid, her long-time boyfriend, and Lucas, the boy her sheriff father wants her to stay far away from. Greene formerly appeared in A Million Little Things.
Garrett Wareing as Lucas Russell
Lucas Russell is a resilient and quietly ambitious teen who lives in a trailer park with his older brother Kit, after their father walked out. With limited resources but endless determination, Lucas juggles school and work to help keep their small family afloat. Wareing previously appeared in Manifest and God Is a Bullet.
Andrew Liner as Reid Collins
Reid Collins is the charismatic yet conflicted star quarterback of Ransom High. As the son of Davis and nephew of Staten, Reid lives under the weight of family expectations and small-town scrutiny. Liner’s credits include Vampire Academy and Grown-ish.
Marianly Tejada as Ellie Estevez
Ellie Estevez is the sharp-witted, fiercely independent right hand to Quinn at the town’s beloved dance hall. Equal parts practical and passionate, Ellie is the one who keeps the business running smoothly while offering a tough-love kind of loyalty to the people she cares about. Tejada is known for One of Us Is Lying and Orange Is the New Black.
Additional cast members include:
- Brett Cullen as Sam Kirkland: Staten’s father, Sam, left the ranching life behind for a political career as a Texas senator. Cullen is best recognized for Joker, Friday Night Lights, and Narcos.
- Tatanka Means as Jake Longbow: Jake is Staten’s loyal right-hand man on the ranch. Known for Killers of the Flower Moon and The Son, Means offers grounded strength and quiet support in his role.
- Casey W. Johnson as Kit Russell: Lucas’ older brother, Kit often gets into trouble, with Lucas cleaning up the mess. Johnson has appeared in GLOW and For All Mankind.
- Kate Burton as Katherine Bullock: A former music mentor to Quinn during her time in New York. Burton’s resume includes Grey’s Anatomy and Inventing Anna.
- Philip Winchester as Sheriff Dan Brigman: Lauren’s overprotective father and the town’s sheriff. Winchester’s previous roles include Law & Order: SVU and Strike Back.
- Justin Johnson Cortez as Kai: A police officer and Ellie’s friend. Cortez has appeared in Walker: Independence.
- Kenneth Miller as Freddie: A troubled local on the wrong side of the law. Seen in Waco and The Cleaning Lady.
Ransom Canyon: Behind the scenes & production insights
The creative force behind Ransom Canyon is April Blair, who serves as both creator and executive producer. Known for shaping emotional narratives (Wednesday, All American), Blair envisioned the series as a sweeping, character-driven saga grounded in emotion, tradition, and unspoken longing.
She’s joined by a crew that helped shape the series’ unique visual tone, a Western with a modern heartbeat. While the show’s titular town may sound real, Ransom Canyon is a fictional place inspired by various towns across Texas and New Mexico.
It comes alive on screen through the stunning landscapes of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and the streets of Las Vegas, New Mexico. According to Blair (as told to Netflix Tudum), Ransom Canyon isn't just a town, it’s a symbol of first love, family heritage, and emotional reckoning.
To build authenticity, the cast underwent intense Cowboy Boot Camp training. Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Andrew Liner, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, Eoin Macken, and Philip Winchester all learned horseback riding, roping, and cattle herding under professional guidance.
Ransom Canyon presents itself as a Western series that intertwines themes of love, loss, and family legacy with a focus on character development and emotional storytelling. Set against expansive natural landscapes and supported by a cast trained in authentic ranch life skills, the show reflects creator April Blair’s approach to blending nostalgic Western elements with contemporary relevance.
