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'American Primeval' actor's journey from sleeping in the subway to stardom is the ultimate American dream

While the Western drama in itself is gaining hordes of praise for its gritty narrative, the actor also received positive feedback for his rugged portrayal.

Hollywood is a tough place to survive, where thousands of newcomers dream of making it big, but only a handful of them succeed. While many stars such as Cole Hauser and Robert Downey Jr., despite belonging to Hollywood families, had to struggle on their own to make a name for themselves, actors like Pedro Pascal had to patiently ascend the success ladder to make it big. The same is the story of one 'American Primeval' star who went from sleeping in the subway to featuring on the silver screen.

The actor in question is Taylor Kitsch, who plays the character of a skilled mountain man, Isaac Reed, in 'American Primeval'. As per reports, while the Western drama show in itself is gaining hordes of praise for its gritty narrative, Kitsch is also generating positive feedback for his rugged portrayal of Issac. Set against the backdrop of 1857, Kitsch's character is a tracker who, in the end, sacrifices himself to save Sara Holloway (played by Betty Gilpin).

Basking in the glory of American Primeval's success, the actor recently opened up about his struggles before making it big in the industry. Kitsch, who is best known for 'Friday Night Lights' and 'True Detective,' was severely down on his luck, and short on funds. He had made the bold decision to move from Canada to New York in 2002, however, his journey was anything but smooth. Speaking candidly to People magazine, Kitsch revealed, "I was literally sleeping on the subway" as he grappled with the harsh realities of trying to make ends meet in one of the toughest cities in the world.

Amidst the challenges, a chance encounter proved to be life-changing when Kitsch met a talent manager who asked him a simple yet pivotal question: "What do you want to do?" He responded, "Character pieces," and to his relief, the manager decided to take a leap of faith in him, replying, "All right, I'll take a risk on you." Remarkably, that same talent manager has continued to support and guide him throughout his career. Reflecting on his journey, Kitsch shared, "All I've ever wanted to do is disappear into different characters...It's never been about leading a show or being in the limelight or money."

While Kitsch's journey from rags to riches is indeed inspiring, fans of 'American Primeval' were left disappointed when his character was killed off in the final episode. Kitsch addressed the emotional reactions to Isaac’s death, expressing gratitude for the strong audience response in a chat with Vulture. He said, "We're all flattered that people are that receptive to this show...I'd rather have you f--king truly upset that I die than not feel anything at all. Then I didn’t do my job." Kitsch explained that the raw, survival-driven tone of the 1857 setting influenced the character’s arc, noting that it wouldn't have felt natural for Isaac to have a typical happy ending. "It felt more organic to be that way, rather than, 'Let's just go to California, and maybe we’ll strike gold and get rich."