So, here’s the thing. If you’ve spent any time watching Sons of Anarchy, you know Kim Coates as Tig Trager—the erratic, loyal, and often deeply weird biker who would just as soon hug you as he would bite your ear off. He’s got this intense energy that feels like a live wire. But recently, people have been searching for "Kim Coates Brigham Young" and finding something completely different.
No, he didn't join the LDS church. He’s not claiming to be a long-lost descendant.
Basically, Kim Coates is playing Brigham Young in the Netflix series American Primeval. And if you think the transition from a motorcycle gang to a 19th-century religious leader is a stretch, you haven't seen the show yet. It’s gritty. It's violent. It's definitely not the sanitized version of history you might have picked up in a Sunday school class or a bored middle-school social studies lecture.
The Reality Behind the Kim Coates Brigham Young Casting
When the news first broke that Coates was taking on the role of the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a few eyebrows went up. Young is a massive, polarizing figure in American history. He’s the "American Moses" who led thousands of pioneers across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. He’s also a guy who had dozens of wives and presided over a territory during a time of extreme bloodshed.
Coates didn't just walk onto the set and put on a hat. He actually went deep.
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Honestly, he spent months researching. We’re talking three massive biographies and a stack of historical documents. He even met with historians at the University of Utah. He wanted to understand the man behind the myth—not just the "prophet" part, but the "governor of a territory on the edge of a nervous breakdown" part.
He realized he shared some physical traits with Young: the cheekbones, the blue eyes. But the transformation went further. He dyed his hair a specific "crimson blond" to match historical descriptions. He also adopted a mid-Atlantic accent, modeled after early 19th-century recordings he found, because that’s how people of Young’s background actually sounded back then.
Why American Primeval Isn't Your Typical Western
You've probably seen plenty of shows about the Old West. Usually, it's cowboys vs. outlaws. American Primeval is different. It focuses on 1857, a year that was basically a pressure cooker for the Utah Territory.
The Mormons were being persecuted and driven out of the East. They felt like they were in a literal fight for survival. On the other side, the U.S. government was sending troops to put down what they saw as a rebellion. It was a mess.
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In the middle of all this, you have Kim Coates' Brigham Young. He’s portrayed as a leader who is both desperate and incredibly calculated. The show doesn't shy away from the darker stuff, like the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Coates has been vocal about the fact that he didn't play Young as a "villain" or a "hero." He played him as a man making brutal choices in a brutal time.
- Survival at all costs: The series highlights how the religious group felt backed into a corner.
- The physicality of the role: Coates filmed on location in harsh weather, which he says helped him tap into the "visceral" reality of the era.
- Complex relationships: The dynamic between Young and Jim Bridger (played by Shea Whigham) is a major pillar of the show’s tension.
Addressing the Rumors: Is There a Personal Connection?
Because Coates is so convincing in the role, people have started wondering if he has some personal tie to the history.
Let's clear that up: Kim Coates is a proud Canadian from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He grew up as a "jock" who loved hockey. He didn't even see a play until he was in university and took a drama class as an elective because he thought it would be an easy pass. He’s not LDS, and as far as public records go, he doesn't have any ancestral connection to the Young family.
His interest in the role was purely about the craft. He’s a character actor at heart. He likes the "Dracula" types—the people who are powerful, slightly scary, and deeply misunderstood by the general public.
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The Impact of the Performance
The reaction has been... mixed, but in a good way for a TV show. Historical purists are arguing over the details. Modern viewers are shocked by the violence.
But almost everyone agrees that Coates brings a gravity to the role that makes it hard to look away. He manages to make Young feel like a real human being instead of a statue or a caricature. It’s a performance that forces you to think about the cost of building a society from scratch in a desert.
What You Should Do Next
If you're curious about this version of history, the best thing you can do is go beyond the show.
- Watch the series: Check out American Primeval on Netflix to see the performance for yourself. Pay attention to how he uses his voice; it's a complete departure from his previous roles.
- Read the source material: Coates specifically mentioned reading Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by John G. Turner. It’s a balanced look at the man’s life that avoids being either a hagiography or a hit piece.
- Explore the 1857 Utah War: Look into the real history of the conflict between the Utah Territory and the federal government. It’s a wild chapter of American history that rarely gets taught in schools.
Understanding the context of the era makes the acting choices much clearer. It wasn't just about religion; it was about power, land, and survival in a world that was trying to kill you every single day.
Kim Coates as Brigham Young isn't just a casting choice—it's a deliberate attempt to peel back the layers of an American icon and see what’s underneath. It’s messy, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s some of the best work Coates has ever done.