'Dark Winds' star Zahn McClarnon credits show for 'humanizing and normalizing Native people on television'

Zahn McClarnon is back as Lt. Joe Leaphorn in the noir crime series Dark Winds, and this season, the Navajo Tribal Police officer is exploring the guilt and “moral gray areas” that follow after choices made in Season 2.

“Exploring Joe Leaphorn's psyche this season … and what makes Joe tick, that's always exciting,” McClarnon told Yahoo Entertainment. “I have fun doing that.”

Season 3 of the AMC series premieres March 9 and is based on books by Tony Hillerman. This season, which sees the tribal police investigating the disappearance of two boys on the reservation, also stars fellow Indigenous actors Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon.

McClarnon, who is Hunkpapa Lakota and an executive producer on the series, said that working with a Native cast and crew is “a dream come true.”

“I think we've come a long way in this business as far as representation of Native communities, and I think we have a ways to go yet, and we want to keep it going,” he said. “But I feel very fortunate that I've been able to experience it in my career. We're humanizing and normalizing Native people on television.”

Not only does McClarnon star in and serve as an executive producer on the series, but he will also have his directorial debut in the recently announced Season 4.

“We're chipping away at those stereotypes and those tropes that we've been dealing with for a long time,” he said. “We have more of a voice now, and it's very fortunate to be a part of that.”

Gordon, who plays Navajo Tribal Police officer Jim Chee, agreed. “It's great, because why the hell not?” he told Yahoo Entertainment. “It's taken us long enough to get into these positions, and I just love to see it. It's great. Great for all of us. Great for morale. Great for setting up the next generation to believe in themselves that they can do it too.”

Jessica Matten starts Season 3 as a Border Patrol officer on Dark Winds. (Courtesy of AMC Networks)

For Canadian actress Matten, who is Red River Métis and Cree, the strong presence of Indigenous voices was “nothing new to me.”

“I think it's more interestingly enough new to the States, but you know, my entire life I grew up with an Indigenous network, Indigenous storytellers, Indigenous executive producers, directors, writers,” Matten, who plays former tribal police officer and now Border Patrol officer Bernadette Manuelito, told Yahoo Entertainment. “That's nothing new in my world, but again, it's really cool to be helping to lead the pack of being in that generation, introducing that to the United States and also globally.”

Fans around the world have embraced the series, which boasts a producing team that also includes Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin and Cheyenne-Arapaho filmmaker Chris Eyre. The show has since brought on actors who are guest-starring and making fun cameos in Season 3.

“We have freaking Jenna Elfman,” Gordon exclaimed. “Bruce Greenwood, Terry Serpico, just all these great players that came to play.”

The Hualapai actor said it was meeting Elfman that he was most excited about.

“I don't know why I put people on pedestals, but I put people on pedestals, and she's one of those people,” he said. “It's just intimidating when you meet somebody for the first time that you think you're close to, and in reality, you're not really. But in some sense, you are, and we're all doing the same thing.”

The cast is hoping that fans of the series will appreciate the “universal themes of family and community” in Season 3, McClarnon said.

Championing the show as a way to “share our stories” and create “more understanding in the world, Matten said this season “may be our best season.”

As for the upcoming Season 4, Gordon said, “I feel real great, feel grateful. It's nice to have a collective sigh of relief from the cast and crew to know that we'll be working again and seeing each other and not putting these characters to bed yet.”

While the series will return, that doesn’t mean the stars haven’t thought about keeping some mementos from the set for themselves — especially given the 1970s-style clothing and set pieces.

“So legally, we're not allowed to take anything because we’ve got to keep it if there is another season,” Matten said. “I think if anything, I would like to take one of the Bernie tops, just like one of our typical tribal ones. That would be cool.”

“Oh, I've taken a few things home. I can't say what, ‘cause I'll get in trouble. They'll want them back,” McClarnon said. “Actually, I took a hat from last season, a straw hat that I really liked. And I’ve got to take it back this season just in case Joe has to wear it again.”

For Gordon, in addition to the custom suits that Chee wears, he said he’s “saving up my money” to buy the “American muscle car” that’s featured in the show.

“It'd be really fun to have one,” he said. “If it ran well.”

Darks Winds Season 3 premieres March 9 on AMC and AMC+.