Broken Trail cast and character guide: Who plays whom in AMC's Western TV miniseries 

Broken Trail is a Western miniseries released by AMC in June 2006. Produced by Robert Duvall and directed by Walter Hill, the story is set in 1898 in the American West. It follows Prentice Ritter, an experienced cowboy, and his estranged nephew Tom Harte. While driving a herd of horses, they encounter five Chinese girls who were victims of human trafficking. Their decision to protect the girls places them in direct conflict with rivals determined to take them back.

The production aired in two parts and became one of AMC’s biggest original successes at the time. It was not only a Western adventure but also a story about responsibility and protection. By combining the journey of the protagonists with the plight of the young girls, the miniseries expanded the scope of its narrative beyond traditional genre conventions.

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Protagonists

Robert Duvall as Prentice Prent Ritter: the central character, an older cowboy who chooses to protect the girls.

Thomas Haden Church as Tom Harte: Ritter’s nephew, who joins the journey from the start and takes part in both the cattle drive and the protection of the group.

Their bond anchors the storyline and frames the events that follow.

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Central characters

Greta Scacchi as Nola Johns: a woman who becomes part of the group during the journey.

Chris Mulkey as Ed Big Ears Bywaters: one of the men pursuing Ritter and Harte.

Rusty Schwimmer as Kate Big Rump Kate Becker: a character linked to the trafficking network.

These roles add depth to the conflict and expand the world surrounding the two protagonists.

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The five Chinese girls in Broken Trail

The dramatic focus of the Broken Trail is on the five girls rescued by Ritter and Harte. They are initially identified by numbers, but each receives attention within the story.

Jadyn Wong as Ghee Moon (#1)

Caroline Chan as Mai Ling (#2)

Gwendoline Yeo as Sun Foy (#3)

Olivia Cheng as Ye Fung (#4)

Valerie Tian as Ging Wa (#5)

Their presence defines the direction of the journey and becomes the central point of the narrative.

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Supporting characters

Several supporting roles help complete the cast and reinforce the Western setting:

Scott Cooper as Henry Heck Gilpin: also known as Fiddler, he joins the group.

Donald Fong as Lung Hay: interpreter and ally of Ritter and Harte.

James Russo as Captain Billy Fender: the buyer of the girls at the beginning of the story.

Peter Skagen as Colonial Bartender / Dink Yeatman

Todd Allen as Marshall Bill Miller

Morris Birdyellowhead as Fox-Hide Brave

Duncan Fraser as Moncrieffe

Philip Granger as Chuck Hyde

Tom J. Bews as Cook

Together, they complete the official 20 credited roles of the miniseries.

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Roles in the story

The storyline follows Ritter and Harte as they attempt to balance the delivery of their herd with the responsibility of protecting the girls. Nola Johns, Gilpin, and Lung Hay add different layers to the narrative, while characters such as Big Ears, Big Rump Kate, and Captain Billy Fender embody the threats faced by the protagonists.

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Audience and critical reception

Back in June 2006, Broken Trail showed up on AMC and almost ten million people were watching. 9.8 million, to be exact. For the channel, it was more than a good night, it was the biggest number they had ever pulled with something original. Records fell, and suddenly this quiet Western had turned into the program everyone was measuring things against.

The reaction didn’t stop with the ratings. Reviews came in steady and most of them leaned on the same points. Walter Hill was praised for the way he directed the story, keeping it grounded. Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church carried much of the weight on screen, and that was noticed right away. A year later the recognition turned into awards. Four of them, all at the 2007 Primetime Emmys:

Outstanding Miniseries;

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Robert Duvall);

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Thomas Haden Church);

Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Movie.

These achievements placed the production among the most recognized television titles of its decade.

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Conclusion

Broken Trail mixed the look and feel of a classic Western with a story that touched on real issues from the late 1800s. The cast held the weight of it, each role adding to how the tale landed. The huge audience, the awards that followed, those things locked its place. Years later it is still pointed out as one of AMC’s standout moments and a title that stays in the history of television.