Eric Bana Battles Evil In The Vast Wilderness In Netflix’s ‘Untamed’

Eric Bana stars as Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB), in the new Netflix mystery Untamed. He’s highly skilled in his job, but a string of deaths makes him question everything he thinks he knows.

Set amidst the stunning scenery of Yosemite, the six-episode series uncovers a dark side where long-held secrets come to light, starting with the brutal murder of a young woman. Kyle is tasked with solving the case while simultaneously grappling with his grief after a devastating loss.

Untamed is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that grabs the viewer in the very first gut-wrenching scene. It was created by father-daughter writing team Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, who also served as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Bana and John Wells. Also starring are Rosemarie DeWitt, Sam Neill, Lily Santiago, and Wilson Bethel.

Though this is a fun ride, Untamed is much more than a murder mystery. It’s also a story of grief and the aftermath of unfathomable loss. Kyle and his ex-wife, Jill Bodwin (DeWitt), suffered the ultimate tragedy when their young son died. Though his death permanently fractured their marriage, the two are unable to let go of one another.

Bana and DeWitt each spoke with me about why the relationship between Kyle and Jill was such an important part of the overall story and why the dynamic between these two characters drew them to their respective roles.

Kyle still sees his son everywhere he goes, and Bana felt that there was a connection between Kyle’s grief and his determination to find out who killed the young woman at the heart of the show’s murder mystery.

“I think there was definitely a subconscious, emotional connection between the victim and what he’s been through. I think he’s so good at his job, and I think the job is his therapy. The only way that he can really cope is by being in nature and continuing to put one foot in front of the other, personally and professionally. That’s how he’s going to deal with what has happened to him,” he explained in a sit-down interview.

In a separate phone interview, DeWitt talked about the complicated, codependent relationship between Kyle and Jill. Though divorced, they remain intricately connected because of their painful past. Though Jill is married to someone else, there’s still a deep love between them.

“I think these two are bonded. They were just dealt a really bad hand, but they are each other’s person. There’s still great love there. I think they wish the world were different and that they could be together, and they can’t tolerate it, because what they share is just too painful. They’re the only person that each needs and the only person that they can’t have. That’s torture. They’re both in the middle of hell, and there’s no with you, and there’s no without you,” DeWitt clarified.

As for Kyle’s struggle to move forward after the death of their son, DeWitt contends that it’s partly because he’s not facing his pain. “It’s a very feminine journey in our culture that women are given space and time to feel their feelings. Maybe, in some way, we’re still raising men and boys to compartmentalize their feelings and not deal with them. I think Kyle’s journey is figuring out a step forward and not letting his past haunt him.”

If he were able to do that, DeWitt believes he’d be able to move forward. “So many people spend their lives trying to fix things they can’t. I think Kyle is caught in all the parts of life he can’t control, but he thinks he can. Nothing about that park can be tamed, and that’s where he believes he can exercise the most control. If he can do it there, then maybe he can rework his past, or his future, or his marriage.”

DeWitt said she enjoyed the challenging dynamics of these complex characters. “I love a script when I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do with it, when it’s surprising or unknowable to me. When I’m like, ‘Why does she do that? Why is there still so much love there? Why can’t they move away from each other?’ I love a puzzle.”

Though Bana’s character in Untamed is a good guy, he also enjoys portraying bad guys, such as the psychopath he portrayed in Dirty John. I asked which he enjoys more, and he said he likes to mix it up.

“I like to be open. I don’t want to be one of those actors that people know exactly what they’re gonna get. Maybe I’m gonna die, maybe I’m not. Maybe I’m a good guy, maybe I’m the bad guy. I think it’s more interesting; it’s certainly more interesting for me. It means you can do a lot of different work. I don’t know what’s going to come tomorrow. I don’t know what that script is going to be like that I’m about to read. It’s exciting and fun bouncing between the two.”

When asked if he has to find a way to like the unsavory characters he takes on, Bana answered definitively. “I don’t have to find a way to like them, but I have to find a way to be them. And I have to be able to fight for them and justify them, and really get in their skin and play their game. That’s the job. That’s the challenge. But I don’t have to like them to do that. I don’t have to agree with anything they do, but I do have to feel for them.”

As for Kyle, Bana said he wanted to portray him ever since he first read a script in 2019. Throughout the interview, he repeatedly credited the writers with creating such dynamic, multi-layered characters who are each working through tragedy and loss. He also spoke about the complexities of the relationship between Kyle and Jill.

“I thought it was beautiful and unique. When I read the interplay between them, I realized I hadn’t seen that kind of relationship on screen before. It’s quite often a cliché, a combative thing. In this case, people who have experienced a shared loss will be able to empathize with the dynamic of their relationship. I thought it was touching.”