Yellowstone‘s fifth season kicked off with a two-hour television event on Nov. 13, and the villains working against the Dutton family are in for as wild a ride as the family themselves.
John Dutton took an oath and was sworn in as Governor of Montana in the first episode, making an inspirational speech about what Montana looks like today and what it could look like in 100 years. Fans didn’t see much of his campaign, but we learned, as the two-episode premiere unfolded, that it relied heavily on leaving the land untouched.
This presents yet another problem for Caroline Warner and Market Equities. Taking down the Dutton family isn’t nearly as easy a feat as she was hoping, and the moment it was clear that John would win the race for governor, Warner began throwing drinks around the room and spewing vitriol like she was born for it.
In a way, she was: Warner wears her anger like she’s proud of it, she’s a big dog too, and Warner won’t let anyone forget it, and the actress who breathes life into her is talented, snarky, and full of power herself.
When the series kicked off its fifth season last night, not everyone was sure who exactly brought Warner to the screen, however. While dedicated fans know the name Caroline Warner, and most know the actress who plays her, some confuse her with another big name in the entertainment realm.
So who plays Caroline Warner, who doesn’t, and what should we expect from her in season five? Let’s dive in.
Who is Caroline Warner?
Caroline Warner is the CEO of Market Equities and a powerhouse of a woman. When we first meet her, she looks sweet, maybe a bit intimidating, but like someone with whom you’d certainly rather be friends than enemies.
However, that sweetness flies out the window when you hear her speak for the first time. Warner channels rage and power with the same effort, harboring one when the other needs to shine. She can enter a room and destroy it or invite you to her exclusive club; the choice is yours.
Warner invited Beth into that club, but their relationship was not what she expected when she started that invite. See, Warner is great at many things, but she underestimated the Duttons, mainly because she underestimated how willing they are to go to bat for one another. She saw a family in turmoil; she didn’t see the love and the right that existed there.
However, we saw Warner gather her footing and call in another significant force in the Yellowstone playing field: Sarah Atwood. That’s a topic of conversation for another day, but let it be known that Warner isn’t going anywhere, defeated at the moment or not.
Who plays the character of Caroline Warner
So who plays the firehouse that is Caroline Warner? Jacki Weaver is the actress who breathes life into her, but that isn’t the name fans were originally thinking of when they saw her take the screen in Yellowstone.
Some fans thought they were looking at Sally Struthers, a name you’ll likely be familiar with if you’re a lifelong pop culture fan. While there’s a definite resemblance between the actresses, Weaver and Suthers bring different things to the table.
Weaver is an Australian actress with a lengthy history of film and television roles in movies such as Poms, Penguin Bloom, and most recently: Father Stu.
Her time in Yellowstone began in 2021, but she feels like an integral part of the series; it seems like she’s been hiding in the rafters, waiting for her chance to strike.
Who is Sally Struthers?
So who is Sally Struthers? As we said before, if you’re a big pop culture fan, you’ll likely be able to put a face with the name quickly.
Struthers starred in All in the Family as Gloria Stivic before joining the cast of shows like General Hospital, Still Standing, and Gilmore Girls.
She’s also got a bit of a lesser anger presence about her, which is excellent. Of course, every actress who plays a role like that of Caroline Warner would have to bring anger to the table; it’s part of the character profile, but Struthers is still Ms. Babette Dell to us, all upbeat and positive.
Noticing the similarities between them isn’t lost on us; however, both actresses are 75 years old, with blond hair and a similar tone in their voices. They also exhibit — as Weaver isn’t wearing the cloak of Warner — a warm personality in who they are as women.
So Struthers might not be part of the Yellowstone family, but after all this fan chatter, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled to find out if she may join the cast eventually; she could certainly play a relative of Ms. Caroline Warner.
Yellowstone continues with new episodes each Sunday night at 8pm and you won’t want to miss a second of season five.