
At 59, actor Zahn McClarnon has steadily moved from smaller roles to becoming a central figure in shows like “Westworld,” “Longmire,” and “The Red Road.” Now, with “Dark Winds,” which began in 2022 and overlapped with his work on “Reservation Dogs,” he’s finally a lead actor. (The fourth season finale airs Sunday.) While he doesn’t see himself as a traditional leading man, he possesses all the necessary qualities – good looks, grace, and approachability – and as police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn in “Dark Winds,” he embodies the quiet strength of a classic Western lawman. (“It’s all in the cowboy boots,” he jokes.) Reserved and private, yet open with his thoughts, McClarnon brings a gentle kindness and dignity to every character he plays, even complex and troubled ones like Hanzee Dent from season two of “Fargo.”