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NETFLIX’S new dramatic show is all about a deadly clash between the government, Native Americans, and Mormons but did you know some characters are based on real people?
Mountaineer Jim Bridger was already a bit of legend in his time but here is everything we know about the explorer.
Shea Whigham starred at Jim Bridger in American Primeval[/caption]
He was a famous scout and mountaineer in the West of the US[/caption]
He was most famous for discovering Fort Bridger[/caption]
Who was Jim Bridger?
The mountaineer, born in March 17, 1804, was also a fur trader, scout, and wilderness guide.
He appears in Episode Six of the new Netflix hit but his character was inspired by a real person.
The mountaineer established Fort Bridger, in Wyoming, in 1843.
This post served as a major station and fur-trading post for people and business travelling to the West of the US.
He later served the government after Mormons took over and settled his fort.
The scout became famous for his apparently unparalleled knowledge of the area and his interactions with the local Native community.
Bridger may be familiar to some movie buffs as he featured as a young boy in The Revenant.
What is American Primeval?
This new historical drama is set during the turbulent years of the 1857 Utah War and mass migration toward the West.
The show follows Sara Rowell and her son Devin as they set off from Fort Bridger to California.
They join a wagon train which is later attacked by Mormon militia dressed as natives.
The pair manage to flee but the show continues to follow other characters affected by the massacre.
This train slaughter was inspired by a real event, as was the conflict and struggle for power between the natives, federal government, and Mormons.
Who plays Jim Bridger in American Primeval?
Jim Bridger is played by actor Shea Whigham.
Whigham stars in all six episodes of this 2025 mini series.
The actor is also known for his roles in Joker, Silver Linings Playbook, and Boardwalk Empire.
Which other American Primeval characters are based on real people?
This show is a historical drama but many of his characters are based on real figures.
One of those is Brigham Young, who was a politician and religious figure who commanded the Mormon Church during the war.
Brigham Young was the president of the Mormon church during the Utah War[/caption]
Kim Coates as Brigham Young (left) and Alex Breaux as Wild Bill Hickman (right) in American Primeval[/caption]
Young became the second priest of the church and was known for his colonizing efforts in the West of the US.
He joined a march to Missouri to help dispossessed Mormons regain their lands in the spring of 1834.
He became president of the Mormon church in 1847, and remained in Utah for the rest of his life.
The religious leader was also famous for founding Salt Lake City on July 24, 1847.
Wild Bill Hickman, played by Alex Breaux, is also based on a real lawmaker and member of a militia called the Nauvoo Legion.
How to watch American Primeval
The mini series dropped on Netflix on January, 9, 2025.
Viewers will need a Netflix subscription to tune in and watch the show.
There are six episodes in this 2025 mini series and they have all been released.
