For fans of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone,” Jefferson White is best known for his role as Jimmy Hurdstrom, a problematic ranch hand at the series’ titular Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Fans will no doubt remember Jimmy’s chaotic introduction in Season 1, where Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) forces the part-time meth cook to choose between prison or becoming a “branded” member of the Dutton clan.
Though Jimmy remains White’s most notable role to date, long before he ever took a cattle prod to the chest he appeared on the highly popular crime drama “Blue Bloods.” Specifically, White appeared in the Season 7 episode “Whistleblowers,” playing a police officer named Eric Carlson. Carlson is one of the titular whistleblowers of this episode, having spoken out against the NYPD’s abuse of citizens in certain neighborhoods.
Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) learns that Carlson’s commanding officer had referred him to a psychiatric ward in order to cast doubt on his claims, and later we discover that the C.O. himself participated in the corruption that Carlson reported. Despite only appearing in this episode, White does a fantastic job of playing this morally driven cop who is forced to stand up against a corrupt system –- and who suffers the consequences of doing the right thing.
White took on a variety of smaller roles before his breakthrough on Yellowstone
While this former police officer turned scapegoat is certainly a far cry from the troubled young cowboy we meet on “Yellowstone,” it’s safe to say that Jefferson White makes the most of this brief cameo on “Blue Bloods” — stealing the spotlight with this incredibly brave stand against his fellow officers.
Outside of his memorable appearance in “Blue Bloods,” White actually appeared in a vast assortment of high-profile television series before joining “Yellowstone” in 2018. Some of his most prominent guest roles came in shows like “Elementary,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” White also starred in the acclaimed Netflix original drama “House of Cards,” playing the character of Joshua Masterson during the fourth and fifth seasons of the series.
This role in particular showcases White’s impressive range, since Masterson is a psychotic terrorist who takes an innocent family hostage and makes demands directly to the president. Indeed, fans who only know of White’s work from “Yellowstone” are missing out on a vibrant acting resume filled with plenty of engaging characters, many of whom are polar opposites to conflicted ranch hand Jimmy. In any case, fans who enjoyed his performance on “Yellowstone” ought to take a look at his previous work in these well-known television dramas.