Brian Konowal Says 'Clyde is a Full Psychopath' After '1923' Twist
In the Yellowstone prequel series 1923, it's not just the characters in the foreground you've got to watch out for; it's some of those gun-toting henchmen, too. In the penultimate episode of 1923 Season 2, one character pulled a pistol on another character and fired a shot that will change the story, not to mention the lineage of the Dutton family tree, forever.
Men's Journal caught up with the man who pulled that trigger, actor Brian Konowal, who plays Clyde on 1923. And, just as this episode aired, he revealed what this twist means, how he trained for 1923, and gave a few hints about the big finale. Major spoilers ahead for 1923 Season 2, Episode 6, "The Mountain Teeth of Monsters."
As Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) gets closer to returning home, various forces in Montana are preparing for his arrival. And in the build-up to this moment, which will surely be a massive moment in the series finale, Jack Dutton (Darren Mann), Spencer's cousin, has a fateful run-in with Cylde, one of Banner (Jerome Flynn) and Whitfield's (Timothy Dalton) gunmen. In a shocking second, Cylde shoots and kills Jack, meaning there's one branch of the Dutton family tree that's been cut forever. (Fans are still wondering how all of the events in 1923 can lead to the future birth of John Dutton from Yellowstone.)
But what's going on in this scene, from a physiological point of view?
"By the time he pulls the gun on Jack, Clyde is a full psychopath," Brian Konowal tells Men's Journal. "I think he's been waiting. He got elevated, he got this badge. He's been doing all this dirty stuff, so he's living the high life, and I think he's raring to go. He's become, for lack of a term, radicalized by Banner."
Related: '1923' Breakout Star Talks 'Dream' Role, Says Finale Is An 'Epic Experience'
In a sense, Clyde's killing of Jack is a way for the character to climb the ladder of evil, putting himself into the good graces of his bosses. "This is a notch in his belt and he knows Banner and Whitfield are going to love it," Konowal adds. "He's thinking, I'm getting a head start here. He definitely wants to please those guys."
In real life, Konowal is no villain, and actually has a background in improv comedy. So, becoming a cutthroat mudering cowboy in 1923 took a certain amount of training.
"My wife's a camper, but as a Pennsylvania guy, we just never camped as kids," Konowal admits, and reveals that the "cowboy camp" which Yellowstone actors enroll in, can turn a city slicker into a confident horserider. "I went from basically not riding to being very comfortable on a horse and driving cattle down a mountain in the dark of night," he says. "I wanted to get on the horse as much as possible, which turned out great for the scene."
With the big finale coming very soon, Konowal is loath to reveal any major spoilers for that episode, which will likely be a mini-movie, clocking in at roughly two hours. Will the now very confident Clyde play a major role in the big showdown?
"Clyde is very dangerous," Konowal says, but stops himself from revealing more. "There's no question about that. He's extremely dangerous and willing to go that extra mile if he thinks it's going to help destroy the Duttons."
The 1923 series finale will hit Paramount+ on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Related: '1923' Season 2 Debut Refuses To Answer Its Confusing 'Yellowstone' Mystery