Reflecting on a legend.
The AMC series “Dark Winds,” starring Zahn McClarnon, featured Robert Redford’s final role before his death late last year.
Now in Season 4, on Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+, “Dark Winds” is a gritty crime drama set in the ‘70s following Navajo Tribal Police officers as they solve mysteries and crimes on their reservation. The show has been renewed for Season 5, and McClarnon stars alongside Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten and Deanna Allison.
“I’ll hold on to those memories forever,” McClarnon told Page Six of working with Redford.
Redford, who died at 89 in September, was an executive producer of the show, along with George R.R. Martin. In Season 3, the two Hollywood titans had an onscreen cameo as men playing chess in a jail cell, trading banter with McClarnon.
“When he looked at me, I couldn’t believe I was sitting there doing dialogue with somebody like Robert Redford; somebody I looked up to so much,” McClarnon said.
The actor, who is Native American, added, “I’ve seen just about every film he’s ever done and used to idolize him as a kid. I had to pinch myself. I’m literally there doing dialogue with my hero!”
McClarnon said that toward the end of Redford’s life, “Bob was completely all there, mentally.”
Physically, Redford had some “difficult times walking,” said McClarnon, but shooting the scene, “he was smiling and having fun with the cast and the crew.”
Redford also wasn’t a distant exec producer.
“He visited the set quite often,” McClarnon recalled. “He was very lighthearted, and always laughing and joking. Everybody loved being around Bob. We just loved it when he came up to the set to hang out.”
The “Reservation Dogs” actor praised Redford for being an “icon for Native storytelling, and for the whole business, in general.”
“Dark Winds” is based on the “Leaphorn & Chee” novel series by Tony Hillerman. Hillerman wrote the first 18 books, publishing between 1970 and 2006.
McClarnon said Redford had the rights “for 30 years.”
“We luckily found a home at AMC. I’m so glad that Bob became part of my life.”
Since Season 4 is the first “Dark Winds” season without Redford, McClarnon said they will do a memorial, especially because it films in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Redford lived.
“Within the community outside of [the show], he was such a huge icon, and he lived down there. There’s a lot of people that were sad and mourned. I’m not quite sure what we’re doing as a production this season, but we are definitely doing something.”
McClarnon, who also made his directorial debut in Season 4, said Redford was an “immense talent” who was “such a meaningful figure” and “just championed independent film and indigenous stories.”
“Definitely one of the highlights of my life was being in a scene with Bob. He was an American icon, and his work is going to live on forever.”
“Dark Winds” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+.