FX’s Justified is a neo-Western drama series developed by Graham Yost that ran for six seasons between March 2010 and April 2015. Justified is based on the works of legendary novelist Elmore Leonard, particularly “Fire in the Hole,” and won two Primetime Emmys during its seventy-eight episode run. The show follows U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (brilliantly played by Timothy Olyphant) and his unorthodox methods of capturing criminals and fighting crime in and around Lexington, Kentucky.
Justified’s compelling storytelling, punchy dialogue, exceptional cast, and well-written characters are a few things that made the neo-Western click with audiences well before Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone. Leonard is often considered one of the greatest American novelists of all time, and a few contributing factors to this declaration are his vivid descriptions of locations, heightened sense of realism, memorable characters, and exceptional dialogue.
Considering Justified’s accomplishments and the expectations the show had to live up to, we’ve created a guide for the adaptation’s characters and their respective actors.
14 Jim Beaver as Sheriff Shelby Parlow/Drew Thompson
When we meet Sheriff Shelby Parlow/Drew Thompson, he’s a well-respected member of his community and an ally to Raylan. However, as Sheriff Parlow’s tenure on the show grows, we see glimpses of his true nature, and the writers do an excellent job of making the audience suspicious of his intentions. By the tenth episode of Justified’s fourth season, we learn that Sheriff Parlow is a drug pilot for the mafia named Drew Thompson, and his career as a Sheriff was part of an agreement made with the criminal organization.
Jim Beaver is a renowned character actor whose career started in an uncredited role in the 1977 film Semi-Tough. Since then, Beaver has been exceptionally active, appearing in at least three films per decade and in multiple television shows simultaneously. Fans of the actor may best recognize him for his rich, booming voice and appearances in Days of Our Lives, Deadwood with Justified’s star Olyphant, and Supernatural as the loyal demon hunter Bobby Singer. As of this writing, Beaver has a recurring role on Amazon Prime’s smash-hit series The Boys and a recurring role on CBS’ B Positive.
13 David Meunier as Johnny Crowder
Involved in a life of crime since his adolescence, Johnny Crowder is a career criminal and series villain Boyd Crowder’s cousin and right-hand man when we meet him in season one. Whereas Boyd is charming and charismatic, Johnny adorns an unkempt physical appearance and gruff demeanor.
Despite his rugged appearance and blunt approach to conducting business, Johnny is also shown on multiple accounts to be a cunning and operative criminal whenever Boyd isn’t around. Even after becoming wheelchair-bound after getting shot in the abdomen in Season 2 and developing a contentious relationship with Boyd in season three, Johnny still proves himself intimidating and effective as he strikes business deals with Wynn Duffy and Ellstin Limehouse, two rivals of Boyd, behind his kin’s back to fill his pockets.
David Meunier’s career dates back to 1994 when he appeared in The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Hollywood Follies. Since then, Meunier has appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, The Incredible Hulk, and the 2014 adaptation of The Equalizer. Despite Equalizer being his last big film, Meunier’s television work is much more prolific as the actor has starred or appeared in acclaimed shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bones, Burn Notice, and the Law & Order and CSI franchises.
12 Damon Harriman as Dewey Crowe
Before Dewey embarked on a life of crime with Boyd, as seen in Justified, he met the charismatic leader at a White supremacist meeting. Boyd immediately noticed Dewey’s lack of intelligence and tendency to lash out and recruited the man into his outfit. Despite Dewey’s dim-witted nature and lack of courage, he eventually develops a more proactive and bold personality after a near-death experience, and he’s even seen standing up to Boyd in the fifth season.
Australian actor Damon Harriman started his acting career as a child in the Australian period drama, The Sullivans. Since then, Harriman has appeared in House of Wax, Redbelt, and Breaking Bad and voiced Kabal in 2021’s Mortal Kombat. American fans would become familiar with the actor after his turn as famed cult leader Charles Manson in 2019’s Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
11 Raymond J. Barry as Arlo Givens
Arlo Givens is a career criminal and con man whose constant time in and out of prison caused him to be absent from his son Raylan’s life. Despite Raylan becoming a U.S. Marshal, Arlo continued down the criminal path and was arrested by his son in front of their whole family. Arlo and Raylan’s paths in life are complete opposites, but the father and son love each other, thus complicating things for them both professionally.
Raymond J. Barry is a character actor like many entrants on this list. With a career spanning five decades, Barry has played authority figures on both sides of the law, fathers, grandfathers, etc. With appearances on Training Day, the NCIS franchise, and 13 Reasons Why, Barry is an actor who keeps his roles varied and offers something unique to each project.
10 Mykelti Williamson as Ellstin Limehouse
Ellstin Limehouse is a butcher and owner of a diner many of the show’s residents frequent. A master strategist and man of few words, many of the characters on both sides of the law respect Limehouse as he tends to keep his word and honor his commitments. Despite the racial tensions within Harlan County, Limehouse conducts business with various members of the warring families and, unlike many of his contemporaries, suffers minimal casualties and collateral damage by the show’s conclusion.
Mykelti Williamson started his career in a 1978 episode of Starsky & Hutch and has consistently secured roles since then. However, his performance as Bubba in Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 classic Forrest Gump would raise the actor’s profile exponentially. He would then appear in Heat, Con Air, Ali, Black Dynamite, The Purge: Election Year, and Fences. With Williamson’s most recent film and television outings in 2022, we hope to see the actor return in the upcoming Justified: City Primeval.
9 Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett
Heir to the Bennett throne, Dickie Bennett is the middle son of the infamous Mags Bennett and a career criminal, often completing jobs for his mother with his brothers Coover and Doyle. Dickie and Boyd hate one another, and Dickie has feuded with Raylan since high school because of a baseball game. Unlike many of Raylan’s adversaries, Dickie did the most emotional damage to the lawman by murdering Helen, Raylan’s stepmother, and was one of the few men Raylan nearly killed in cold blood.
With appearances in Saving Private Ryan, Lost, and the Arrowverse as DR. John Deegan, Jeremy Davies has been involved with an eclectic range of projects. The Primetime-winning actor secured the prestigious award for his portrayal of Dicky, and with the character being a fan favorite despite a late introduction to the show, it’s safe to say the performance strongly resonated with audiences. In addition to his film and television work, Davies has also lent his voice and likeness and even provided the motion capture for the Norse god Baldur in the recent God of War games.
8 Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy
Wynn Duffy is a high-ranking member of the Dixie mafia and a middleman for many of the warring families in Harlan County and a loan collector. Despite his role as a middleman, Duffy is shady and ruthless and constantly betrays many of the criminals he goes into business with. Moreover, his methods of collecting loans typically involve vivid threats to loved ones. Duffy runs a security installation business with a wealthy clientele to stay off the law’s radar and, by season five, goes into the heroin business with Boyd.
Jere Burns started in television in the 1970’s drama series, The Psychiatrist. His more notable projects include appearances in Dear John, Something So Right, Good Morning, Miami, and Angie Tribeca. One of Burns’ most distinct features is his expressive eyebrows and elastic-like facial expressions, especially when portraying unscrupulous characters like Duffy.
7 Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins
When Winona Hawkins is introduced to the audience, she is a court stenographer and Raylan’s ex-wife. While it isn’t clear how the couple met, it is clear that their marriage deteriorated because of Raylan’s temper and the dangerous nature of being a U.S. Marshal. Beautiful, intelligent, and headstrong, Winona is one of the few characters in Justified who can quell Raylan’s anger whenever it spirals out of control, and this ability often proves to be resourceful more often than not. After Raylan convinces Winona he’s a changed man, the two rekindle their previous relationship, and Raylan promises to retire from the Marshal services before the birth of their child.
Natalie Zea’s career started in 1999 with a small role in Macbeth in Manhattan. She would primarily appear in independent films and other theatrical releases, with her most prominent film being the 2010 buddy-cop, The Other Guys. Like many of her co-stars, Zea’s resume consists primarily of television appearances, with her most notable being Passions, Dirty Sexy Money, The Following, and La Brea.
6 Erica Tazel as Deputy U.S. Marshal Rachel Brooks
Deputy U.S. Marshal Rachel Brooks is a part of the U.S. Marshal team in Lexington, Kentucky, and one of Raylan’s co-workers. Rachel is more than a pretty face, as she’s shown to be resourceful and the most level-headed team member, irrespective of the tensions and threats they face. Despite her small stature, racial tensions in Kentucky, and the fact she tends to be the only female assigned to assist Raylan and Tim, Rachel never backs down from a threat and always ensures everyone returns home safely.
Erica Tazel’s notable film credits include House of D, Runaway Island, and Mr. Right. One of Tazel’s strengths is her ability to deliver performances in different genres. In addition to dramas like Justified, Tazel has also appeared in Firefly, ER, Kroll Show, Roots, Queen Sugar, and Lovecraft Country. Considering Rachel was a fan favorite, we hope to see her appear in Justified: City Primeval — even if it’s just a cameo.
5 Jacob Pitts as Deputy U.S. Marshal Tim Gutterson
A former sniper in the United States Army, Deputy U.S. Marshal Tim Gutterson now works under Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Art Mullen and is Raylan and Rachel’s co-worker. Known for his wry sense of humor, Gutterson is also distinguished for having aim just as good if not better than Raylan’s — something you’d expect from a former military sniper. Like Raylan, Gutterson is prone to throwing temper tantrums and going against protocol when frustrated, but his heart is always in the right place, and he’s typically forgiven.
Jacob Pitts has primarily starred in short films and TV movies throughout his career. However, like Gutterson, Pitts is renowned for his sense of humor and thus often plays comic relief characters. With appearances in Sneaky Pete, the Law & Order franchise, and The Blacklist, Pitts’ commitment appears to be television, as that’s where he remains busiest.
4 Nick Searcy as Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Art Mullen
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Art Mullen is Raylan, Tim, and Rahcel’s laid-back, wise-cracking boss. Even though Art possesses an amiable disposition, he is a professional agent of the law, and he never hesitates to pull rank over Raylan when the latter goes against protocol. Somewhat a father figure to Raylan, Art’s particularly hard on him because he knows he’s a good agent who tends to get wild sometimes.
Nick Searcy is a character actor with over three decades of experience in film and television. Days of Thunder, The Fugitive, Cast Away, One Hour Photo, Moneyball, The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, are some of his notable film appearances. Searcy typically plays an authoritative or father figure character, and his appearances in American Gothic and the CSI and NCIS franchises likely helped him secure his role in Justified.
3 Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder
Ava Crowder is just as tough as she is beautiful, and with many of Harlan County’s residents vying for her hand in marriage after she kills her abusive husband, it’s clear early on that Ava can handle herself in a life of crime. After a failed attempt at romancing Raylan, Ava eventually starts a relationship with one of his rivals, Boyd Crowder, and she becomes one of Harlan County’s most infamous criminals. Despite choosing a life of crime, Ava is an empathetic woman who especially goes out of her way to protect and rehabilitate other women who are victims of domestic abuse.
Joelle Carter’s career began in 1996 with an appearance in an episode of Law & Order. Since then, she has steadily built an impressive resume with appearances in High Fidelity, Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago P.D., and The Rookie. With an upcoming biographical drama about MLB player Rickey Hill coming soon and the TV film Salvage currently in pre-production, it appears Carter is keeping busy.
2 Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder
Boyd Crowder is charismatic and egotistical, thus making him the perfect leader for one of the show’s bank-robbing, White supremacist groups. Boyd was a ruthless criminal in the past, but after a near-death experience with a mining company, he re-evaluated his life and decided to walk a higher path. This epiphany would be short-lived as Boyd slowly returned to his criminal past once a lucrative business opportunity presented itself. Despite Boyd and Raylan’s past, he has been shown on a few occasions to help Raylan, primarily for his benefit, and Raylan has even remarked Boyd would make a great Marshal if he could change his ways.
Walton Goggins blew audiences away with his brilliant turn as Billy Crash in Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 classic Western Django Unchained. He would follow Unchained up with roles in Lincoln, Machete Kills, The Hateful Eight, Tomb Raider, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Known for his intimidating glare and Southern drawl, Goggins typically appears in antagonistic roles on film. However, the actor’s television work consists of dramas and comedies, as seen in Community, Vice Principles, American Dad!, and Squidbillies. With an upcoming television adaptation of the popular Fallout video game series, we’re excited to see what Goggins brings to the show.
1 Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens
U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is the cowboy hat-wearing, crack-shot protagonist of Justified. An honest agent of the law, Raylan possesses swagger and aim like no other, sleuthing skills on par with Sherlock Holmes and a joke for nearly any occasion. One of Raylan’s notable traits is his refusal to accept bribes or other forms of corruption despite the benefits he would reap. Despite Raylan’s positive traits, he is prone to anger and routinely goes against protocol to apprehend criminals.
Timothy Olyphant exudes coolness and charisma, thus being one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. Olyphant started his career in 1996 in The First Wives Club and would follow this up with roles in notable films Scream 2, Go, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Girl Next Door, Hitman, Rango, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Amsterdam. Olyphant is also renowned for starring in Westerns like Deadwood, The Mandalorian, and both Justified series. With the upcoming British-American thriller Havoc in post-production and Justified: City Primeval on the way, we’re looking forward to seeing what the actor brings to both projects.