AMC's acclaimed neo-noir mystery series Dark Winds is gearing up for its fifth season, and star Jessica Matten is already calling it a personal milestone. The actress, who plays Bernadette "Bernie" Manuelito on the show, recently shared that the upcoming season pushed her to new emotional depths, delivering what she describes as a "career-high performance."
Matten spoke with Collider at San Diego Comic-Con, where she was also promoting her new animated film Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender. She revealed that production on Season 5 wrapped just last month, and the experience left a lasting impact. "The producers pulled me aside, and they said they think it's a career-high performance for me in Season 5," Matten said. "I'm very good as an actor at separating my personal life from the characters I play... and it was the first time where those lines really did get blurred."
For Matten, this blurring of boundaries was a new and unsettling experience. She admitted that she had always been able to shake off a role after filming, but Season 5 changed that. "You hear about it so many times through other performers and how they couldn't shake off a character. I'm a little tough about it. I'm like, 'I'll just shake it off. It's fine.' And I experienced for the first time what they were talking about," she explained.
Based on Tony Hillerman's novels, Dark Winds follows Navajo Tribal Police officers in the 1970s, including veteran Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), his longtime deputy Manuelito (Matten), and newcomer Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon). Over four seasons, the initial rivalry between Manuelito and Chee has blossomed into a romance, strengthened by trials like a bout of "ghost sickness" and a deadly encounter with a survivalist assassin. Season 5 promises to continue that journey.
Despite the emotional toll, Matten remains deeply grateful for the series. She emphasized that Dark Winds is more than just a detective show—it's a vital platform for Indigenous storytelling. "Because we've been running for so long, you think you know these characters, and so it was surprising for me to say that, being like, 'Oh, I did not expect this,' especially for Dark Winds," she said. "But I'm really grateful because, with it being one of the few Indigenous shows out there, globally seen and acknowledged, it's a big deal for me."
Matten also praised her co-stars for bringing depth to their roles. "I think all of my costars are doing an incredible job of also showing the different many facets and the layers of the human soul, just being a Native person, or a person, a human being, in general," she added.
Fans won't have to wait too long for the new season, though the premiere date is set for 2027 on AMC. In the meantime, Matten can be heard voicing Katara in Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, a continuation of the beloved animated series set 13 years after the original. That film debuts on Paramount+ on July 25.
For those looking to dive deeper into the world of Dark Winds, the series continues to be a standout in the Comic-Con buzz and remains a must-watch for fans of layered, character-driven mysteries. Stay tuned for more updates on Season 5.
