Summary
Yellowstoneis filled with villains trying their hand at taking over the Dutton Ranch and, for my money, Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) is the best of them.Taylor Sheridan villains are some of the best partsof his shows. He can create a rounded, human character in only a few short scenes and explain what it is they want, their strengths, and their weaknesses.InYellowstone, the Dutton familyare sometimes the most villainous seeming characters in the show, which meansthe actual antagonists have to be even more formidable and cruel.
Over the course offive seasons ofYellowstone, I’ve seen a fair number of villainous land grabbers, real estate tycoons, cattle rustlers, and people who just hate the Duttons, come up against the family only to be cast back out unsuccessful, or worse, dead. However, I’ve noticed that the more competent a villain is, the more they’re likely to take from the Duttons. Even in defeat,the best can expose and hurt the family. That’s why I’m partial to Sarah Atwood. Her competence is impressive, and it’s inevitable that even if she loses, she’s going to crack the ranch’s foundation.
1
2
3
4
5
Dawn Olivieri
Yellowstone Cast Guide: Every New & Returning Season 5 Character
Yellowstone season 5 features 1883’s Dawn Olivieri in a major villain role. Here are the other cast newcomers in the final season of the neo-Western.
Sarah Atwood Is Yellowstone’s Best Villain Because She Gets The Closest To The Duttons
Atwood Starts A Relationship With Jamie To Infiltrate John’s Family
Sarah Atwood first appears in season 5, episode 2, “The Sting of Wisdom”, asa lawyer hired by Market Equities CEO Caroline Warner (Jacki Weaver). Sarah is a dangerously intelligent operator and is sent in as a sort of Trojan Horse to complicate John’s (Kevin Costner) life. Jamie (Wes Bentley) immediately falls for her charms and the pair grow close. How much of the relationship is based on Sarah’s real feelings for Jamie and how much is solely her positioning herself to become a thorn in John’s side is still not completely known.
She’s poised and patient, making difficult to read if her feelings for Jamie are true or not.
Sarah is a recurring character in season 5, part 1 ofYellowstone, and from the moment I saw her walk on screen, I knew she would be a major problem for the Duttons. It helps that Olivieri’s acting is some of the best I’ve seen from a villain on the show. She’s poised and patient, making difficult to read if her feelings for Jamie are true or not.
Dawn Olivieri also plays Claire Dutton in two episodes of1883.
I have not seen a villain get this close to the Duttons before, and while at the end of the day, I want them to succeed, I can’t help but take a little pleasure in watching them head toward completely uncharted territories.Sarah creates a new dynamic inYellowstonewhere the outsider tension is coming from within the familyand I love to watch characters having to pivot to an enemy they haven’t encountered before.
Sarah is introduced
Jamie and Sarah have sex
7
Sarah turns Jamie against his family
8
A Knife and No Coin
Sarah’s last appearance in season 5, part 1
Sarah Atwood Actress Dawn Olivieri Also Played A Villain In House Of Lies
Atwood Frequently Plays Intelligent And Capable Characters
Dawn Olivieri has had a long career in film and television. I remember first noticing her inHeroeswhere she played the recurring role of Lydia, a superhero with the tragic ability of being forced to follow other people’s desires. The idea of a superhero with a power that was “bad” was something I’d only seen inX-Menwith Rogue’s ability to sap another’s life force. I think it’s probably the same reason I enjoyed Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) so much inAntman and the Wasp.
Dawn Olivieri’s Notable Movie And TV Roles
Debbie O’Brien(2018)
Debbie O’Brien
Olivieri has another notable role inHouse of LiesasMonica Talbot, a villain, who, like Sarah, is a highly sophisticated and calculating business executive unafraid to get her hands dirty to complete a job. I’ve always enjoyed wickedly smart characters, good or bad, and Atwood nails her portrayal of them inYellowstoneandHouse of Lies. I hope she plays another brilliant villain again soon.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on August 24, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
