Yellowstone and What/If star Dave Annable has joined the cast of Walker for Season 2 of the reboot series. According to Deadline, Annable will be playing a recurring role in the CW drama, which stars Jared Padalecki (Supernatural) as Cordell Walker. The role was originally made famous by actor Chuck Norris on the 90s drama Walker, Texas Ranger.
Many TV viewers will remember Annable as Lee Dutton, the eldest son of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton, on Yellowstone. He also appeared as Dr. Ian Harris in What/If, a limited mystery-thriller series from Netflix. On Walker, Annable will be playing Dan Miller, husband to Denise. He is described as “brimming with bravado” and being “fiercely loyal to the Davidson family” while “very protective of his wife.” Dan “has taken on the Davidsons’ distrust of the Walkers and is clearly not going to settle into Austin without a fight.” Annable’s first appearance on Walker will reportedly come in the Season 2 premiere.
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The new Walker series is quite different from the original, and takes a much darker tone. During a guest appearance on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast in September, Padalecki spoke about the new show, and explained that his Walker would not be like Norris’ version of the character. “My Walker has zero to do with Chuck’s Walker,” he said.
“I grew up in Texas and Walker, Texas Ranger was obviously a massive show,” Padalecki continued. “I watched it but this is a brand new character, brand new story and brand new era. Just a similar name. Cordell’s the new Walker, Texas Ranger, nothing to do with Chuck.”
Regarding how Norris felt about the new series, Padalecki shared at the time that he had not spoken to the actor, but he had heard from Norris’ team. “I have not talked to him directly,” the actor said. “I guess our people have talked, whatever that means.”
Padalecki continued, “He had to give his blessing because he still co-owned the rights to the story, the product. So he was part of the EP [executive producer] group and he had some ownership in Walker, Texas Ranger. So we had to get his blessing to create a new version of it. I know we have his blessing but I don’t know what his involvement will or won’t be.”
