EXCLUSIVE: Netflix‘s Little House on the Prairie reboot has cast more key roles. Jocko Sims (New Amsterdam), Warren Christie (The Watchful Eye), Wren Zhawenim Gotts (Echo), Meegwun Fairbrother (Avatar, The Sticky) and Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Peter Pan & Wendy) are set as series regulars and Xander Cole (People of the West) as recurring on the series, based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic semi-autobiographical novels.
Sims and Christie will play characters from the books while Gotts, Fairbrother, Wapanatâhk and Cole will play newly created characters, members of the same extended Osage family.
They join previously cast Ingalls family: Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls, Luke Bracey (Charles), Crosby Fitzgerald (Caroline) and Skywalker Hughes (Mary Ingalls).
Sims will portray Dr. George Tann, a generous and kind-hearted man with a charming bedside manner that makes him a connector within the community. Based on a real person, Tann is featured in the Little House novels as a doctor on the Osage Diminished Reserve who saved the lives of the Ingalls family when they got malaria.
Christie will play John Edwards, a Civil War veteran from Tennessee. Edwards is a gregarious and mysterious man who catches the eye of every single woman in the county (maybe some of the married ones, too). Known as Dr. Edwards in the books, the character was part of the NBC series adaptation where he was named Isaiah Edwards and played by Victor French.
Fairbrother will play Mitchell, a tender-hearted man who lives in Kansas with his family, where he became a successful farmer and built the most impressive homestead in the county. Canadian actor Fairbrother is of Scottish and Ojibway descent; it is unclear whether his character also has mixed heritage.
Wapanatâh will play Mitchell’s wife, White Sun, who is opinionated, beautiful, and has a sharp sense of humor. At times she sees the world through a more cynical lens than her husband.
Gotts will play Mitchell and White Sun’s daughter, Good Eagle, who is wildly imaginative and is known as a storyteller in her family.
Cole will play Little Puma, White Sun’s younger brother. Little Puma is good-hearted, but bull-headed, and is trying to find his place in the world. He loves his big sister but also loves getting under her skin.
Described as part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, the new Little House On the Prairie comes from showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and CBS Studios.
Sonnenshine executive produces alongside Joy Gorman Wettels for Joy Coalition, Trip Friendly for Friendly Family Productions, Dana Fox and Susanna Fogel. Sarah Adina Smith will direct the first episode. CBS Studios produces with Anonymous Content Studio. Filming is slated to begin in June in Winnipeg, Canada.
Sims is known for his starring role on NBC’s hit medical drama, New Amsterdam as Dr. Floyd Reynolds. He recurs on NBC’s murder mystery dramedy, Grosse Pointe Garden Society. Sims is repped by IAG, Benedetti Entertainment and Skrzyniarz & Mallean.
Christie was recently seen in Hulu’s The Watchful Eye series and in Robin Wright’s directorial debut Land. He’s repped by Innovative Artists Entertainment, Play Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
Zhawenim Gotts is a member of the federally recognized Sokoagon Chippewa tribe and travels the country sharing her Native American dancing, singing and language. She played Young Bonnie in the Marvel series Echo. Zhawenim Gotts is repped by Osbrink Talent Agency.
Fairbrother can be seen in Prime Video’s The Sticky and SkyMed on CBC and Paramount+. Other credits include CBC’s drama Burden of Truth and Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. Fairbrother is repped by The Characters Talent Agency and More/Medavoy Management.
Canadian Wapanatâhk, who hails from the Bigstone Cree First Nation, is known for playing Tiger Lily in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy. She just wrapped shooting the indie Cottonmouth opposite Ron Perlman. Wapanatâhk is repped by Peak Talent Management, Atlas Artists and Yorn Levine Barnes.
Cole’s notable projects include People of the West, and You Can Take It With You. He is a member of the Osage nation from the WaXaKoLi district. Cole is repped by Reel Talent Studio.
