Taylor Sheridan’s (Mayor of Kingstown) Yellowstone universe is adding another A-list actor to its roster. CNN reports Rita Wilson (Mamma Mia, Sleepless in Seattle) will guest star on the prequel series, 1883, over at Paramount+. Wilson joins her husband, Tom Hanks (Fitch, Cast Away), who cameoed in the spinoff series’ second episode.
Wilson took to her Instagram account to announce the role, alongside friend and series co-star, Faith Hill (The Stepford Wives, It Matters to Me). “The secret is out—I’ll be joining my friends @faithhill and @thetimmcgraw on the show @1883official this season! Keep up with episodes every Sunday on @paramountplus to catch a glimpse of yours truly,” Wilson penned on the post.
According to Variety, Wilson is set to star as Carolyn, a storekeeper in the 17th-century town of Doan’s Crossing where the story of the Dutton family’s origins takes place.
1883 tells the story of Kevin Costner’s (The Bodyguard, Dances with Wolves) Yellowstone character, John Dutton’s, family’s humble beginnings as they traveled from the depths of Texas to establish what would eventually become Yellowstone Ranch in the vast plains of Montana. The series has an all-star cast with Sam Elliott (Road House, The Hero), Tim McGraw (The Blindside, Country Strong), LaMonica Garrett (Primal, Designated Survivor), Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade, Fargo), and Isabel May (Run Hide Fight, Young Sheldon). The show yields itself as a dramatic Western as the Dutton ancestors rise to power to control the land many are seeking to covet.
In an interview with Cinemablend, McGraw spoke on how he managed to book the Academy-Award winner Hanks for the show. He and his wife, Hill, have been friends with Hanks and Wilson for up to 25 years.
“I knew that there was this part in there and I gave him a call said, ‘Hey, would you be interested in showing up doing a cameo in this show that we’re doing?'” McGraw explained via Cinemablend. “And he goes, ‘Tell me when to be there,’ and he just showed up. You never want to botch a scene when you got Tom Hanks in there with you. But yeah, he’s a great guy,” McGraw said. Hanks appeared in the series’ second episode as a Civil War general in a flashback sequence.
Sheridan has built quite an impressive world throughout the Paramount television landscape. Yellowstone has continued to break rating records fresh off its season four finale. And over on the streaming service, Paramount+, Jeremy Renner leads the hit crime drama, Mayor of Kingstown.
Viewers can stream new episodes of 1883 every Sunday on Paramount+. And the first three seasons of Yellowstone are available on Peacock.