To begin with the obvious question: What’s it all about?

The answer: The Unholy Trinity, the new western set to open June 13 in theaters nationwide, spins a tale of violent revenge, dark secrets, and buried treasures in 1870s Montana.

Just before his hanging for a crime he claims he didn’t commit, outlaw Isaac Broadway makes his estranged son Henry promise to send the man who framed him to Boot Hill. Determined to fulfill that promise, Henry travels to the remote town of Trinity, where he is caught between Gabriel Dove), the town’s upstanding new sheriff, and a mysterious fellow known as St. Christopher.

Complications arise, allegiances shift, shootouts erupt — and the movie gradually establishes itself as an old-fashioned, sure-fire crowd pleaser with just enough of a salty edge to earn an R rating.

Relative newcomer Brian Lessard had already earned his spurs in the 2022 shoot-’em-ups Murder at Yellowstone (directed by Unholy Trinity filmmaker Richard Gray) and The Redeemer before signing on for The Unholy Trinity to play Henry Broadway, a young man who must learn fast and shoot straight if he wants to survive his baptism of fire in a frontier town.

The role, Lessard  says, was irresistibly appealing to him as soon as he read Lee Zachariah’s script. But there also was an another, equally strong incentive: The opportunity to star opposite two icons. Specifically, Pierce Brosnan as Sheriff Dove and Samuel L. Jackson as the stealthy St. Christopher.

We had recently had the opportunity to speak with Lessard about his work in The Unholy Trinity, and his experiences while acting alongside Brosnan and Jackson. Here is a transcript of our conversation, edited for brevity and clarity.

Working With Legends

COWBOYS & INDIANS: This is not your first rodeo, sir, and you’ve already appeared alongside some formidable people. But while you were making Unholy Trinity, did you ever have days when you looked around and thought, “I’m in a scene with Pierce Brosnan,” or “I’m getting yelled at by Samuel L. Jackson”?

BRANDON LESSARD: Getting yelled at by Samuel Jackson is every young actor’s dream. So I definitely had moments like that. For me, it really hit during the beginning of production. Not necessarily beforehand, when I was told I’d be acting with these legends — but that first scene with Sam. I had met him and talked with him, and thought, “Wow, this is a very nice guy.” Then, very early in the film, he grabs my shoulder and says, “Name’s St. Christopher, by the way.” And something about that moment — his character walking out of the little roadhouse we were in — made me go, “What the hell? Where am I? What am I doing? I’m acting with Samuel Jackson.” So yes, I had plenty of those moments.

Embracing the Western Genre

C&I: Would it be safe to say you’re in the Western phase of your career? You’ve done this one, Murder at Yellowstone City, The Redeemer, and you’ve got Death on the Dearborn coming up.

LESSARD: Yes, sir. I’ve tangled with Westerns more than once. Like you said, not my first rodeo.

C&I: So how do you get yourself into shape for these roles? Do you take riding lessons between movies, or have you always been a horseman?

LESSARD: My mother used to ride Tennessee walking horses, so I did spend time with riders and horses growing up. But I wasn’t really a rider until I started working in film. For Trinity, I went through what’s called cowboy camp. Every day I’d ride my set horse, Whiskey, to get experience and bond with him. We also trained with firearms. I worked with our armorer on the weapons I use in the film — everything from black powder revolvers to repeating rifles.

C&I: So how does one bond with a horse? Carrots? Apples? Drinks after shooting at…

LESSARD: End of the day? Yeah, we hung out at the bar once or twice. [Laughs] But really, it’s about riding him, praising him when he does what you want, and giving a little tug on the reins when he doesn’t. These horses are incredibly well-trained thanks to some talented wranglers. I had the easy part.

Working with Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson

C&I: I once asked Pierce Brosnan after he took over the James Bond role in GoldenEye how it felt, as an Irishman, to take on the role of arguably the most famous British literary figure since Sherlock Holmes. He said, “Well, I really don’t think about that.” So I said, “Yeah, how do you really feel?” And he told me, “Actually, I think it’s kind of nice.” Do you think he felt more relaxed on this film than he may have been on some other films, just getting to be a full-bore Irishman?

LESSARD: Maybe. All I can say is that he’s a gentleman — very nice, very funny. I spent a bit of time with him, and I’d say he’s naturally relaxed. But when he’s acting, he’s laser-focused. In the moment, he’s Sheriff Dove. Outside of that, he’s one of the most charming people you’ll ever meet.

C&I: What do you think you learned from working with Brosnan and Jackson?

LESSARD: It’s an excellent question. I would say with Sam, what I learned the most was to be my own advocate. Films are very fast-paced environments and there is a lot of waiting sometimes. But when I say fast-paced environments, when you are going, you’re going fast. And you do sometimes have to stand up and say, “Wait a minute, I need X, Y, and Z for my character.” Like, I can’t start this scene until I have the props I was using in the previous scene, until I have blood on my shirt, or whatever the case is. You are the guardian for your character Henry Broadway. It’s my responsibility to Henry in order to make sure I have everything I need. So from Sam, I would say definitely to be an advocate for myself.

And actually from both Sam and Pierce, I would say that so much of film acting really is in the look and when you are living the life of your character. People can feel it even just in the silence. While I grew up, I got my start in the theater. I went to theater school and performed on the stage where I’m used to performing to the people in the back row. But with a camera, it very much [a situation where] the audience is smarter than you give ‘em credit for, or that most people give them credit for, and they know what I’m feeling even when I’m not saying anything at all.

Backstory and Breakthrough

C&I: Let’s go back a bit. Where were you born?

LESSARD: I’m from Great Falls, Virginia. I moved to L.A. for college in 2018, but I’m a Virginia boy at heart.

C&I: Where did you go to college?

LESSARD: USC School of Dramatic Arts.

C&I: Do you remember the performance that made you think, “I could do this for a living”?

LESSARD: It was eighth grade. I was the lead in a play called Saving Wonderland, written by my middle school theater teacher. It was a middle school play, nothing glamorous — but that performance made me realize, “I love this enough to do it for the rest of my life.” Later, in college, I did a production of Rough Magic that solidified it even more.

Cracking the Code of Henry Broadway

C&I: Getting back to Unholy Trinity — what was the hardest nut to crack in developing your insight into Henry Broadway?

LESSARD: The toughest part was charting his growth. I realized the story is about a young boy becoming a man — not being passive, but proactive. At first, Henry just does what he’s told. But as things get more intense, he realizes, “I can’t just sit by.” There’s a great line from Sam’s character in the trailer: “Man don’t know what he is until his back’s against the wall.” That’s Henry Broadway.

Most Challenging Scenes  — Emotionally and Physically

C&I: What was the toughest scene for you to shoot?

LESSARD: I have two answers. Emotionally, there’s a barn scene with Pierce after a major reveal. I couldn’t connect with the lines. I talked with our director, Ricard Gray, and our director of photography, Thomas Stanton. They told me to think about what I needed to say — what just bursts out of Henry. That unlocked it for me.

Physically, there was another scene — also in the barn — where I was hung upside down and just got the ever-living shit beaten out of me. Acting while hanging upside down for five or six minutes? Nobody teaches you how to do that. But it was fun, in a very different way.

C&I: Well, I have to say, you pulled both of those scenes off very convincingly.

LESSARD: Thank you.

C&I: Thanks for your time, and good luck with the movie.

LESSARD: Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.