Travis Lee Eller opens up about his role in ‘Elkhorn’, his passion for Westerns, and his hat-making venture
Travis Lee Eller is no stranger to captivating performances, and his role in the upcoming second season of Elkhorn is no exception. The Western series, based on real events, sees Eller playing Joe Ferris, a character who is pivotal to the story’s historical narrative. In this exclusive interview with Film Daily, we delve into Travis’s thoughts on his role, his love for Westerns, and how his side project, Ugly Outlaw Hats, has added another creative layer to his career. From behind-the-scenes fun to the details of his latest season on ‘Elkhorn’, Travis offers us an inside look into his world, both on and off the screen.
Travis, could you please tell us more about your role in the ‘Elkhorn’ TV series?
‘Elkhorn’ is based on true events. I play Joe Ferris, the town shopkeeper. He’s based on the real person who befriended Teddy Roosevelt in Medora, North Dakota when Teddy came westward to try his hand at being a cowboy. Joe knows practically everyone in town. He’s friendly but stern, honest and loyal, and is an important figure in the community who wants nothing but peace in this territory of turmoil.
How does it feel to work on the set of Western film and TV projects?
Western myths await you
I love it! I’m drawn to not only the history of the West but also the mythology of it all. That time period, those characters are really fun to explore. Perhaps it’s because I’m fascinated by those simpler and yet harder times. The struggle to survive and what it does to a person, the hardships they had to endure day to day must have been unbelievable. It’s an interesting headspace to explore. I’m also just a huge fan of the Western landscape, from cactus to mountains—I just love working in that environment.
You also collaborate on various Western film and TV projects through your Ugly Outlaw Hats company. Could you tell us more about that?
So I began making hats in 2018. My brand name is Ugly Outlaw Hats. I’ve developed a reputation for the way I distress my hats, make them look used and worn, and for this reason, a few filmmakers and actors have reached out to me to make them something for their Western projects. I also made my own hat for my show, ‘Elkhorn’. It’s a hobby of mine that I absolutely love and has allowed me to make a lot of great connections in the business. I believe the right hat can really make a character stand out. I’m always up for collaborating with people on a project and will work hard to give someone the look they want.
Behind the laughter lies camaraderie
Are there any funny behind-the-scenes stories you’d like to share?
There’s no story in particular to share, but I can say that when the cast and crew of ‘Elkhorn’ get together on set, we have a pretty good time. We’ve gotten pretty comfortable with each other and are familiar with each of our personalities. There’s a lot of jokes and making fun of each other. It’s all in good fun. One of our Directors/Director of Photography, Jim Orr, has a pretty amusing saying if you mess up either in a scene or behind the scenes. He likes to say, “I remember my first time on set,” which almost always cracks me up.
You’ll also be appearing in the new season of ‘Elkhorn’. When and where can the audience watch the series, and who would you recommend it to, especially for those who haven’t seen it yet?
Adventure awaits this fall
Yes, I’m almost finished filming the second season of ‘Elkhorn’. We are scheduled to finish sometime in May, and I believe it will air in the fall, possibly October, on the INSP channel. There will be eight episodes of action that further explore the stories of Teddy Roosevelt and the town of Medora, North Dakota. This new season promises to be a little different than the last, with more storylines. I would say for anyone who’s never seen it, give it a try, especially if you like Westerns. It’s a show meant for the viewer who likes good, clean entertainment. If you can’t watch it on INSP, it can be found on various streaming platforms.
Travis Lee Eller: 2026 update
By 2026, Travis Lee Eller has quietly cemented himself as one of those rare indie actors whose career is defined less by hype and more by consistency, craft, and an almost stubborn devotion to a particular cinematic lineage. Best known to audiences for his role in Elkhorn, Eller continues to orbit the modern Western space, a genre that remains central not just to his screen work but to his broader creative identity.
Since Elkhorn, Eller has maintained a steady presence in independent film, favoring character-driven projects over high-visibility commercial plays. His performances are typically grounded, restrained, and textured—traits that have made him a natural fit for frontier-era narratives, rural dramas, and revisionist Westerns that prioritize atmosphere over spectacle. While he has not attached himself to any major studio franchises as of 2026, his résumé reflects a deliberate pattern: stories rooted in place, labor, and moral ambiguity.
Industry observers often note that Eller’s appeal lies in authenticity rather than transformation. He does not disappear into roles through flamboyant physical changes or theatrical excess. Instead, his work leans on behavioral realism—how a man stands, waits, listens, or withholds. That subtlety has made him a reliable choice for filmmakers operating in the indie and festival circuits, particularly those interested in reexamining traditional masculinity through a contemporary lens.
Outside of acting, Eller’s parallel career as a custom Western hat maker has continued to grow organically. What began as a personal craft has evolved into a small but respected venture, supplying handmade hats to fellow actors, musicians, and Western enthusiasts. The hat-making is not a branding exercise or side hustle in the influencer sense. It functions more like an extension of his worldview: slow production, practical materials, and respect for tradition. In an industry increasingly dominated by algorithmic visibility, Eller’s commitment to analog craft feels quietly defiant.
This dual identity—actor and artisan—has helped shape his public image. Eller remains largely press-averse, rarely courting attention outside of project-specific promotion. His social footprint is minimal, and he appears uninterested in the performative aspects of celebrity culture. That restraint has, paradoxically, increased his credibility within certain creative circles, where discretion and reliability are valued over constant visibility.
From a career-positioning standpoint, 2026 finds Eller in a stable if understated place. He is not chasing breakout status, nor does he appear stalled. Instead, he occupies a middle ground that many working actors aspire to but few sustain: consistently employed, creatively fulfilled, and unencumbered by the volatility of trend-driven casting. His choices suggest long-term thinking rather than acceleration at any cost.
There is also a thematic coherence across his work. Whether on screen or in his workshop, Eller gravitates toward narratives of utility and endurance. His characters often feel shaped by their environments rather than elevated above them, and that sensibility mirrors the ethos behind his handcrafted goods. It is a cohesive personal brand without the overt signals of branding.
As the indie film ecosystem continues to fragment and consolidate simultaneously, performers like Travis Lee Eller play an increasingly important role. They anchor smaller productions with credibility, lend gravity without demanding scale, and remind audiences that not all meaningful careers announce themselves loudly. In 2026, Eller remains exactly that kind of presence: durable, grounded, and quietly indispensable.
