Dave Annable is not shy about his devotion to Taylor Sheridan—and he’s making it very clear that if the prolific creator ever calls, he’ll drop everything and show up. The Lioness star recently opened up to Us Weekly about his deep admiration for Sheridan’s ever-expanding television universe, and he made no secret of his hope to somehow find his way back into it, even though his character on Yellowstone was killed off early in the show’s run. Annable played Lee Dutton, the eldest son of John Dutton, who met a shocking end in the very first season. But death onscreen, as it turns out, doesn’t mean the door is closed. Annable, 46, said he’s such a huge fan of Sheridan’s Landman that he even joked about wanting to pop up on that show, perhaps as the brother or uncle of Michael Kelly’s character. And then, with a laugh and a genuine warmth in his voice, he admitted that his dream would be to reunite with the Dutton family on their iconic Montana ranch. “Basically, I’m not going to say no to anything,” he said. “If Taylor is like, ‘Dave, we’re just going to put you on one episode and kill you off on Tulsa King,’ great, I can’t wait.” For Annable, Sheridan is more than a boss—he’s a creative force he deeply respects, both as a writer and as a person, and he’s ready to play in that world in any way, shape, or form.
Annable’s affection for Yellowstone runs deep, and he speaks about his time on the show with a kind of nostalgic reverence. He recalled being fully immersed in the world of the Dutton family, learning from the landscape, the cast, and the storytelling in ways that stayed with him long after his character’s arc ended. “I’m such a Yellowstone guy,” he said. “I really learned so much and really learned to love and appreciate that world and being in Montana.” There’s something about the rugged, sprawling nature of Sheridan’s Western drama that left a mark on him, and he’s never lost that connection to the place and the people. It’s clear that being part of that phenomenon was more than just another job—it was an experience that shaped him as an actor and as a fan of the genre. Sheridan, 56, has since built an entire television empire that began with Yellowstone, which ran from 2018 to 2024 and captivated audiences with its story of the Dutton family fighting to hold onto their land. But Sheridan didn’t stop there. He expanded into a growing slate of original series, including Landman, a drama about the oil industry in West Texas; Tulsa King, which stars Sylvester Stallone as a mobster rebuilding his life in Oklahoma; and Lioness, the spy thriller in which Annable currently stars. Each show has its own tone and world, yet they all share Sheridan’s signature grit, complex characters, and explosive stakes. Annable is clearly eager to be part of that extended universe again, and his loyalty to Sheridan is a testament to the kind of creative environment the writer has fostered across his many projects.
At the heart of Annable’s current work is Lioness, a tense and emotionally charged spy thriller that airs Sundays on Paramount+. The series follows the leader of a CIA team that recruits female operatives—known as Lionesses—to go undercover in the global war on terror. Over the first two seasons, viewers watched Joe, played fiercely by Zoe Saldaña, recruit and mentor young operatives like Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) and Josie (Genesis Rodriguez), guiding them through dangerous missions that pushed them to their physical and psychological limits. A season two mission nearly ended in a devastating group sacrifice, and season three has raised the stakes even higher, twisting through timelines as the team faces threats both present and lingering from the past. Annable plays Neal, Joe’s onscreen husband, and he has nothing but praise for Saldaña, who anchors the series with a performance that balances hard-edged military professionalism with the vulnerability of a wife and mother. “She really is that good,” Annable gushed. “You watch the show and see her not only as the wife and mother but as the senior case officer in combat and being tortured. She’s just crushing it, and it couldn’t happen to a better person.” Offscreen, the bond is just as strong. “My family, we all love Zoe and we love her family, and she loves us. It’s really been this beautiful dance getting to stand across from her over these seasons,” he added. That connection shines through in the show, where the marriage between Joe and Neal is one of its most emotionally grounding elements.
In season three, however, that marriage is being put to its hardest test yet. Joe’s work has always been dangerous and demanding, but now the war has come home in a way that feels terrifyingly real for Neal. Annable explained that the new season pushes the couple into uncharted territory, where the danger isn’t something Joe can leave at the office. “Obviously with the war coming home, it really made it very real for Neal,” he said. “The real deal. He is now faced with his kids’ lives in danger, his life in danger, and witnessing firsthand that his wife’s life is in danger.” For someone who has spent seasons being the supportive, patient partner, this shift is seismic. Neal has quietly held down the home front while Joe has thrown herself into unprecedented danger, but the new reality forces him to confront what that life actually means. The emotional toll is visible in every scene they share. The patience and understanding that once defined their relationship are slowly being worn down, replaced by fear, anger, and a desperate need to protect the people he loves. Annable’s performance captures that slow unraveling with nuance, showing a man who is no longer willing to simply wait and hope that his wife comes home safely. The cracks in their marriage are no longer subtle—they’re becoming the central emotional conflict of the season.
What makes Neal’s journey so compelling is the way Annable grounds it in very real, relatable emotions. He’s not a soldier or a spy; he’s a husband and father who married a woman with an extraordinary and terrifying job. Over the seasons, viewers have watched him grow more and more anxious, as the abstract dangers of Joe’s career have become concrete and immediate. The abduction of Joe in the present timeline is the ultimate nightmare scenario, and Annable captures Neal’s helplessness with heartbreaking precision. “I’m not quite sure there’s anything worse,” he said. “Especially the not knowing if she’s OK or not.” That uncertainty is what makes the situation so agonizing—not just the threat of violence, but the endless, suffocating wait for information, the mind spiraling through worst-case scenarios, and the inability to do anything to save the person you love. Neal has always been the anchor, the steady presence at home, but that stability is cracking. He’s being forced to confront the possibility that his life, his children’s lives, and his wife’s life could all be unraveling at once. The season explores how a marriage can survive when one partner’s reality is too dangerous to fully share, and when the safety of the household is no longer guaranteed. Annable said this is a whole different ball game from anything the couple has faced before. The fear is no longer distant or hypothetical; it’s in their home, it’s in the faces of their children, and it’s threatening to tear them apart.
Ultimately, Annable’s outlook is one of gratitude and openness. Whether he’s diving back into the world of Yellowstone or exploring a new corner of Sheridan’s imagination, he’s ready for whatever comes next. His willingness to be killed off in one episode of a random show, if that’s what Sheridan asks, speaks to his playful humility and his deep respect for the creative process. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do in that man’s universe,” he said. That kind of trust is rare in Hollywood, but it’s clear that Sheridan has earned it. For now, audiences are watching Annable navigate the emotional turmoil of Neal’s journey on Lioness, a show that continues to blur the lines between action thriller and family drama. New episodes air Sundays on Paramount+, and with each one, Annable brings a grounded, human presence to a world filled with chaos. He’s a character caught between love and fear, between loyalty and survival, and Annable plays him with the kind of authenticity that makes you feel every ounce of his pain. And whether or not he ever makes it back to Dutton Ranch or lands a part in Landman or Tulsa King, one thing is certain: Dave Annable is a Taylor Sheridan believer through and through, and he’s ready to follow that creative partnership wherever it leads.
