1923star addresses the impact of Cole Brings Plenty’s loss, which included a recasting and an episode tribute. Brings Plenty portrayed Pete Plenty Clouds in the hit series1923, the secondspinoff to Paramount Network’sYellowstone. Sadly, hetragically passed away at 27 years oldin April 2024. With theYellowstoneprequel returning on Paramount+, the episode opened with a tribute to the late actor. His character was not written out of the show, with Jeremy Gauna taking over the role.
In an interview withTV Insider, Aminah Nieves (Teonna Rainwater) addressed how the show handled Brings Plenty’s passing. While she acknowledged that the show could easily have written out Pete, she endorsed the decision to recast him. She even believed thatGauna was the perfect person to take overthe role. Had the show not recast Pete, she would have been forced to carry “a lot of hate and a lot of pain.” Check out her quote below:
[Recasting is]the best thing we could’ve done. I could have easily gone into this with a lot of resentment and with a lot of hate and a lot of pain. And it’s not to say that I didn’t at first, but there comes a moment where you have to really think about the person that Coco was. And he’s my brother. We talked every day about this. He lives on and with us every day. He was so excited and so happy to be a part of something of this magnitude. I could have sat there and been sad, or I could have sat there andhonored him in the best wayand uplifted Jeremy Gauna too for coming here and holding all of that weight, which it’s an extreme weight to hold and to come in and take over for Coco. And he did it with such grace.
I think everyone felt like, in those moments when we were there and Pete was there, Coco was also resting his hands on us and was like, it’s OK. Please, you guys got this. He really allowed us to dip in some much-needed joy and moments when it felt like almost like, why? It was a lot. It was a lot. ButI love my brother, and I think we all did as best as we could. And I know Jeremy did the best that he ever could, and it’s going to be great.
Cole Brings Plenty Is Deeply Missed On Set
Brings Plenty Remains A Beloved Cast Member
Brings Plenty’s passing is an immense tragedy, and the cause of death is still unknown. He was reported missing in March 2024, after his partner contacted police about a domestic dispute. He had already passed when they found his body a week later. Police reported that there wereno signs of foul play, and his autopsy records remain sealed. Brings Plenty’s family argued that there is more to learn about the case, but nothing else has been released.
Guana was reportedly close friends with Brings Plenty.
Forthe1923cast, the official cause of death is not nearly as important as the loss itself. The season 2 premiere wasdedicated to Brings Plenty, serving as a constant reminder of his importance to the show. Since season 2 didn’t start filming until the summer of 2024, it would have either required recasting the role or writing the character off. It’s now clear that the character was recast, with Guana now inheriting the role for the final episodes. PerTown & Country, Guana was reportedly close friends with Brings Plenty.
Our Take On Cole Brings Plenty’s Legacy
There Is No One Approach For Acknowledging An Actor’s Death
Whenever an actor in an ongoing production dies,the producers are left with a difficult question. Various shows and franchises have adopted different tactics. On the recasting side,theHarry Pottermoviesfamously cast Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore after the original actor, Richard Harris, died between the second and third films. Much more recently, Disney+‘sPercy Jacksonseries had to recast the part of Zeus following the tragic passing of Lance Reddick. In season 2, Courtney B. Vance will take over the role.
On the other hand, the Marvel Cinematic Universe elected to avoid recasting Chadwick Boseman after his tragic passing, which led to widespread criticism. Many believed that his character, Wakandan king T’Challa, was too significant to lose, and that Boseman would’ve wanted the character to live on. That argument is reminiscent of what Nieves said about recasting Brings Plenty. Now,1923honors Brings Plenty by maintaining his character’s presencein the show.
Both approaches have their merits, butthe family, cast, and crew should be trusted to make the most appropriate decision. If they believed that recasting Pete honors Cole Brings Plenty’s memory, then it was the correct move. It is no doubt an extremely difficult situation for those who loved the late actor, but as Nieves said, it also comes with opportunities for healing. This way, Brings Plenty’s memory will live on within1923’s final season, and his character can similarly be uplifted and remain a strong part of the ensemble.
What This Means For 1923
Pete’s Story Is Set, And It Can Continue
Though it has been a major success for Paramount+,1923season 2 will be theYellowstoneprequel’s last. Sheridan went into the project knowing exactly what kind of story he wanted to tell, and it won’t stretch any longer than initially expected. This meanshe has set endgames for all of the characters, including Pete. Sheridan could’ve opted to rewrite Pete’s story, but that would’ve done a disservice to the character, who plays a key role in Teonna’s story.
Nieves’ belief that what’s ahead is “great” bodes well and indicates the series will continue to honor Brings Plenty’s work.
AsTeonna and Pete share significant screentime, Nieves is especially affected by Brings Plenty’s absence, so her support for the recasting is significant. If she felt uncertain about the decision, she likely would’ve voiced that opinion. Instead, it seemsthe continuation of Pete’s story and Guana’s presence on set has been able to help her healon some level.1923season 2 has only just begun, so it isn’t yet clear exactly what is in store for Pete. However, Nieves' belief that what’s ahead is “great” bodes well and indicates the series will continue to honor Brings Plenty’s work.
