Piper Perabo plays Summer Higgins on Yellowstone, an interesting supporting character in the series, but the actor is recognizable for her many other roles.
First introduced in Yellowstone season 4, Summer is a fierce environmentalist who would stop at nothing to bring down the industrialized farming in Montana.
However, like all characters on the show, there’s more to her than meets the eye, and she’s much more layered than her stereotypical “eco-warrior” exterior. Perabo’s performance helped to elevate the character, and she fit right in alongside other established stars like Kevin Costner.
Debuting in Yellowstone season 4, episode 5, “Under a Blanket of Red”, Summer appeared as the leader of the environmental group Free Earth, and she immediately caused a stir in the Dutton family. She returned as part of the Yellowstone season 5 cast after she was arrested for protesting.
John Dutton pardoned her after he became governor of Montana, and their relationship blossomed again when she served house arrest at Yellowstone Ranch. Summer’s arrival into the Dutton family dynamic added further intrigue to the series, showcasing Perabo’s range as an actor, which is also evident in her other roles.
Summer Actor Piper Perabo’s Biggest Movie Was Coyote Ugly
Perabo’s Breakout Role Was As Violet In The Hit Rom-Com
Long before she played Summer on Yellowstone, Perabo portrayed a much different character in the cult classic 2000 film Coyote Ugly.
The story followed an aspiring songwriter named Violet Sanford (Perabo), who moved away from her small town to work in a women-owned bar in New York City that specialized in taunting and tantalizing its male patrons.
Despite its mixed critical reaction, the comedy-drama film was a box office smash when it grossed over $113 million (via Box Office Mojo), and its reputation grew on home video as an early-’00s time capsule.
Perabo’s starring role in Coyote Ugly was her indisputable breakout, and she was perfectly cast as the shy and unsure Violet Sanford. While the film’s story was nothing special, Perabo turned heads because she made something out of Violet’s character and embodied her arc as a young woman who slowly came out of her shell.
Decades later, Perabo would play a much more confident character as Summer on Yellowstone, but Coyote Ugly was the role that launched her career.
Perabo Had The Lead Role In Covert Affairs
Perabo Led The Spy Series For 5 Seasons
After years of success on the big screen, Perabo then made the jump to the small screen, where she landed the starring role in the USA Network seriesCovert Affairs in 2010.
The show chronicled the life of Annie Walker (Perabo), a new CIA operative working undercover in the agency’s Domestic Protection Division. Like her Yellowstone role as Summer, Perabo found little ways to build upon Annie Walker, and she had a full-fledged arc across the show’s five-season run.
Throughout the bulk of her career, Perabo’s work hadn’t garnered her much attention from major award shows, but in Covert Affairs she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2011.
Unlike Summer, who was known for her headstrong ways and self-assured attitude, Annie Walker began as a timid recruit who found her footing as the show progressed. Perabo’s performance was consistent, and she showed clear growth in her character as she slowly became more confident in her missions.
