By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
When one thinks of a CW series, bulky, constructed frontier dresses and dingy, scratchy-looking shirts don’t ever come to mind. The upcoming Walker prequel, though, will aim to make 1800s fashion as fetch as it can.
Set in the late 1800s and filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Walker Independence follows Abby Walker (played by Arrow‘s Katherine McNamara), an affluent and tough-minded Bostonian whose husband is murdered before her eyes while on their journey out West. After crossing paths with Calian (Justin Johnson Cortez), a curious Apache tracker, Abby arrives in the town of Independence, Texas, where she encounters diverse and eclectic residents — including Hoyt Rawlins (Walker‘s Matt Barr), a slippery rogue, thief and con artist; Kate Carver (Katie Findlay), a burlesque dancer with perhaps too keen an interest in Abby’s origins, Kai (Lawrence Kao), a Chinese immigrant who runs a local restaurant/laundry; and Augustus (Philemon Chambers), the town’s noble deputy sheriff.
Speaking with TVLine in the cast video above, McNamara shrugged off the suggestion of any CW-ified togs, saying, “I’m definitely in a 20-pound dress and a corset!”
Instead, costar Barr said, the series will give the Old West a fresh look by “[leaning] into a color a bit, in the the way that Baz Luhrmann movies [such as Moulin Rouge and Australia] do.”
“We’re not a subdued, beige Western covered in dust,” McNamara said. “We are covered in dust, but it’s so vibrant, and the world feels so rich.”
So winning is McNamara’s wardrobe, Barr suggested, “no one is going to notice me in a scene!” — to which his leading lady scoffed, “When this guy rides in on a horse, you can’t look at anything else.”
Katie Findlay, who plays burlesque dancer Kate, hails the wardrobe as “fantastic,” though she has to wonder how women of the actual time endured.
“I don’t understand how every woman between 1800 and 1900 wasn’t as serial killer,” the Nancy Drew alum quipped. “It feels like being in a moving circus tent with things trying to take your organs out of you…. I feel like a rock star, but also like I want to die at all times!”
Meanwhile, which cast member felt “like a superhero” on their old-timey get-up? Press play above to hear more from McNamara, Barr, Findlay, Cortez, Kao and Chambers!
Walker Independence premieres Thursday Oct. 6 at 9/8c. leading out of Walker Season 3.
Want scoop on Walker Independence, or for any other show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.
I’m stoked this got picked up to series – looks like a really great cast.
cannot. wait.
Most interested in the characters of Calian, Kai and Kate Carver. Katie Findlay never gives a bad performance.
This show worries me and it feels like we’re going to get a very sanitised view of a time period that was harsh & cruel, especially with regards to the treatment of indigenous populations. There could have been a number of spin offs from Walker but one set in this time period on the CW feels icky but I’m also pretty sure the target audience will be the audience that the new owners want to target. New day at the CW.
Right there with you. Love Kat McNamara, but this looks like it might as well be Dr. Quinn : Medicine Woman, only released 30 years late. I’m feeling a facepalm coming on.
Same, really like Kat and the rest of the cast but just feel that this is really going to give a very one sided and misinformed view of that period in time. With the current trend of trying to rewrite and sanitise history, so far everything I’m seeing about the show so seems to play into that. I hope I’m wrong but it seems ill judged IMO.
Give it a chance. It may surprise you.
Like, I said, watch it & then make your own judgment. If you don’t like, then don’t watch it.
There’s a bigger issue than watch or don’t watch. The US is currently ‘white washing’ it’s history and shows coming out that that play into that narrative are very damaging. This is supposed to be set in a time period where the indigenous people were treated horrifically and if that’s not depicted or they try to ‘both sides’ it then shame on them. If they wanted a spin-off for Walker there were so many other options.
How is the U.S. trying to whitewash its history?
I don’t think so. I get “1883” & “Lonesome Dove: The Series” vibes from this & I would advise you to give this show a chance before making a snap judgment on it. Looking forward to hearing what your reaction is when it premieres.
Not making a snap judgement but making a judgement based upon the information and promotion to date for this show by the CW. There’s a tone set for the show which is not great.
Love it here what a.bby say.r Rawlinson ant no good guy o bad guywe just don’t avree.
I’m still confused by the lineage on this show. And I hate how her name is Abby. Too confusing to Abeline on Walker. Especially since Abby has to be related to Cordell’s dad since she has the Walker name. But it’s apparently a name she took after her husband died? What!?!
I believe that Abby took the Native American Name that the Indians who saved her gave her & converted it to an English version. I remember reading that somewhere. That the last name “Walker” will be given to her. What do you think?
Love hoyt rawlins as. Character funny lovable he makes u wa t to know him
I think he might be Howt’s ancestor.
Looking forward to this. Love a good Western.
Walker: Independence looks fantastic! The production, the attention to authenticity, the diversity, it’s all there! And all the cast members seem like wonderful people. I can’t wait to watch it!
This look like a cross between “1883” & “Lonesome Dove: The Series.” Can’t wait to see it.
October 6th can’t get here fast enough.