Though Yellowstone’s main cast are the actors most famously associated with the show, the Taylor Sheridan series has had plenty of notable guest stars, and back in season 4, many of us thought Sally Struthers was among them. Over the course of five seasons, Yellowstone’s Dutton family has fought against land developers, politicians, and a local reservation to keep control over their massive Montana ranch. Many actors who played these antagonists were already famous for their roles as TV villains, including Malcolm Beck’s Neal McDonough (Justified), Roarke Morris’s Josh Holloway (Lost), and Sarah Atwood’s Dawn Oliveri (House of Lies).
Sally Struthers may not be famous for her villain roles, but there’s no debating that she’s a TV icon. Her breakout role was in All in the Family as Gloria Stivic. As Archie and Edith’s daughter, Gloria played the role of peacekeeper between her conservative father and her liberal husband. The role earned Struthers two Emmys and a spinoff series, Gloria. However, as a millennial, I know Struthers as Lorelai and Rory’s nosy but kindhearted neighbor Babette Dell in Gilmore Girls. Given her penchant for comedy, I was surprised to hear Struthers associated with the gritty Yellowstone, and I wasn’t the only one.
We Thought Sally Struthers Was On Yellowstone Because She Resembles The Caroline Warner Actress
Caroline Is Played By Australian Actress Jacki Weaver
Yellowstone season 4, episode 2, “Phantom Pain” introduced Caroline Warner, Chairperson for the Board of Directors of Market Equities, the company that wanted to build an airport on the Duttons’ land. Many of us mistakenly thought that Sally Struthers was playing Caroline, but she was instead played by Australian actress Jacki Weaver. With their petite stature, blonde hair, wide blue eyes, and raspy voices, it’s not exactly difficult to mistake Struthers and Weaver for each other.
However, Struthers never appeared in the popular neo-Western series at all, and while I’m always happy to see her on my TV screen, she may have been out of place on such a serious show. Other than the cowboys in the bunkhouse, Yellowstone isn’t exactly known for its comic relief, so I’m not sure it would be the right fit to handle Struthers’ acting sensibilities.
On the other hand, Weaver is no stranger to playing ruthless women willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, bringing a wealth of experience to the role of Yellowstone‘s Caroline Warner. I first became aware of Weaver when she played Janine “Smurf” Cody, matriarch of a Melbourne crime family, in 2010’s Animal Kingdom. Weaver’s performance earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and for my money, she should have won.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe is continuing to grow with the announcement of a spinoff that centers on Beth and Rip.
Admittedly, I was disappointed that, apart from one fantastic scene with Beth Dutton, Caroline didn’t prove to be much of an antagonistic force in Yellowstone. She was bested far too easily, but this was hardly Weaver’s fault, and she did a fantastic job with the material she was given.
What Sally Struthers Is Up To Now
She Stars In Netflix’s A Man On The Inside
Sally Struthers may not be joining Taylor Sheridan’s repertory of actors anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean her career has stalled. In 2016, she reprised her role as Babette in Netflix’s 2016 Gilmore Girls sequel miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Netflix has proven to be somewhat of a home to Struthers, as she most recently appeared in the cast of A Man on the Inside, a retirement home sitcom led by Ted Danson. In the show, Struthers plays Virginia, a charming resident of Pacific View who takes a liking to Danson’s George.
Netflix’s uproarious comedy series A Man on the Inside casts TV legend Ted Danson as an amateur PI, and the streaming hit has spied another season.
A hit with viewers and critics alike, A Man on the Inside was renewed for season 2, though Sally Struthers is not yet confirmed to be part of the cast. However, there are three upcoming credits on her IMDb page — though none of them are shows set in the Yellowstone universe.
