Betty Gilpinstars in a new Netflix series that’s become a global hit for the streaming service, and while that’s great to see, it’s also a harsh reminder of one of her previous shows. Gilpin has been acting since 2008, but her career break came through playing the polarizing Dr. Carrie Roman inNurse Jackie. Gilpin’s career rose throughout the 2010s, with appearances inElementaryandMasters of Sex, before playing the soap star Debbie Eagan (a.k.a. Liberty Belle) inGLOW, one of thebest TV shows on Netflix.
Since then, Gilpin has continued going from strength to strength across a range of genres, be that in horror movies such asThe Hunt, or Sci-Fi shows likeMrs. Davis. Through these roles, Gilpin has established herself as a great, ever-reliable performer, who is capable of stealing the show whether she’s leading it or providing support, and she’s always fascinating to watch with an incredible range. Now she’s again standing out, as part ofthe cast ofAmerican Primeval, and her role is one of her darkest and most complex yet.
American Primeval Gives Betty Gilpin A Big New Role, 6 Years After GLOW
Gilpin’s GLOW and American Primeval Characters Are Similar Women In Different Predicaments
SinceGLOW, Betty Gilpin has branched out, taking on some interesting new roles, like Crystal in the dark thrillerThe Hunt. That said, her new role is different from her previous projects, withAmerican Primevalbeing described by reviewers as “unbearably bleak.” Gilpin plays Sara Rowell, who is on the run from a violent confrontation in her past and searching for a guide to help her cross the frontier. When the men pursuing Sara eventually catch up with her, the violence is extreme, withAmerican Primevaldrawing comparisons toBone Tomahawk, the notorious horror Western.
Sara massacres the people who assault her in a scene that marks a turning point for her character.
LikeGLOW,American Primevalis based on a true story, thoughneither Sara nor Liberty Belle were directly based on real people. Sara and Debbie are similar women, both pursuing a new future, but in very different predicaments and historical periods.GLOW’s Debbie is trying to escape the 1980s “casting couch” culture by becoming a producer, while Sara is escaping her pursuers. Both are persistent, though Debbie only has to take extreme lengths in business, stealing a deal from her boyfriend, while Sara massacres the people who assault her in a scene that marks a turning point for her character.
Why Was GLOW Season 4 Canceled?
GLOW Season 4 May Be More Welcome Than American Primeval Season 2
Despite overwhelmingly positive reviews and a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score,GLOWwas canceled after three seasonsdespite being renewed for season 4 in August 2019. Unfortunately,the COVID-19 pandemic affected the future ofGLOW, with Netflix changing their minds about the show in October 2020, at the height of the pandemic. For a series about wrestlers who would have had to work in close proximity, safe filming would have been a challenge. Gilpin told theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, “I was super sad we didn’t get to finish out season 4. Maybe someday something will happen.”
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Unlike the cliffhanger ending ofGLOWseason 3, theending ofAmerican Primevalshows Sara escaping to California after Isaac sacrifices himself to save her and Devin. With the two most compelling characters dead or setting out on a less brutal path,American Primevalseems to have come to a natural conclusion. Netflix has not yet confirmed a season 2, which may be for the best. Having seen the range Betty Gilpin is capable of, a better option might be to bring backGLOWfor season 4 rather than resurrectingAmerican Primevalwhen so many of its characters are dead.
American Primeval & GLOW Both Prove How Great Betty Gilpin Is
The Actress Is Arguably The Best Part Of Both Netflix Shows
Gilpin’s performance inAmerican Primevalis one of the show’s biggest triumphs, and a huge reason to invest in the series. Making Sara land as a character is essential to everything else around it, because ultimately it’s her bid for survival (alongside her son, Devin) that is the emotional core of the story. It’s a notably restrained performance from Gilpin, unlike the showier aspects of Liberty Belle, because it’s one that requires her to be a steely presence.
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Several other movies and shows capture similar Western and violent horror elements of Netflix’s epic period Western series American Primeval.
She’s a survivor who’ll stay strong for herself and her son, but is also capable of sparking into a furious rage when called into action, and Gilpin nails that balance perfectly.She also develops great chemistry with Taylor Kitsch, and some smaller moments between them provide the series with a lot of its heart and humor.
Whether it’s the Wild West or the wild world of wrestling, Gilpin proves she deserves to be a star.
GLOW’s Debbie may be a world and over 100 years away from Sara, but some of those same aspects can be seen in Gilpin’s performance. Across the show’s three seasons, she turned Debbie into its best character thanks to her emotional range and vulnerability, while also being incredibly funny and forming a great pairing with Alison Brie. Whether it’s the Wild West or the wild world of wrestling, Gilpin proves she deserves to be a star.
Betty Gilpin’s Next Netflix Show Will Continue Her Great Trend
Gilpin Will Star In The Next Series From Game Of Thrones' Creators
Gilpin has now shone in multiple Netflix shows, and that’s going to continue with her next series on the streamer,Death by Lightning. Created by Mike Makowsky and executive produced byGame of Thronesshowrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss as part of their overall deal with Netflix, the miniseries will be a different sort of historical drama compared toAmerican Primeval, charting the presidency of James A. Garfield up to his assassination.
2025
Completed; premiering at Sundance 2025
TBA
In post-production
This time,Gilpinwillbe playing a real-life character, appearing as Lucretia Garfield, the wife of President Garfieldand First Lady of the United States. This should be another opportunity for a nuanced, emotional role that further shows Gilpin’s range, and while she isn’t the lead this time out, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she stole the show. Besides that,Betty Gilpinis also appearing inHal & Harper, one of the showspremiering at Sundance 2025, and hopefully there will be more chances to build on her success inGLOWandAmerican Primeval.
American Primeval
Cast
American Primeval is a Netflix limited series that follows the lives of several men and women in the middle of the expansion of the American West. Social dynamics clash as men and women battle for a piece of the new world against rivals and each other.
