"Yellowstone" fans get to step into the Dutton family past with Taylor Sheridan's
hotly-anticipated prequel series "1883," which debuted on December 19th. "1883" presents a
whole new story surrounding the ancestors of Kevin Costner's John Dutton from "Yellowstone," as they
leave Texas to find a new life in Montana, only to face extreme hardship on the journey there.
"You got all these folks haulin' ass West and North, and they've never
even seen the country and they don't even know if it's worth the journey."
"1883" is the origin story of "Yellowstone," including how the Dutton family acquired the
largest cattle ranch in the United States. It's a tale that follows the 19th-century
Duttons as they travel west on a wagon train through harsh environmental conditions,
encountering hostile enemies at every turn.
It has not been confirmed how many episodes the first season of "1883" will have,
but it will likely be around 10, similar to seasons of "Yellowstone." If "Yellowstone's"
record-breaking ratings are anything to go by, then "1883" is going to be a huge success.
While the show is sure to be a hit with viewers, it's what happened
behind the scenes — specifically with lead star Tim McGraw — while making this
Western series that was truly entertaining, according to his castmate, LaMonica Garrett.
Shot on location in Texas and Montana, Garrett reveals in a new interview that McGraw's antics
on the set of "1883" made things extra interesting between takes. The three-time Grammy winner plays
James Dutton, the great-grandfather of Costner's "Yellowstone" character.
Previews show McGraw going toe-to-toe with Western gunslingers alongside Oscar
nominee Sam Elliott and Garrett, who is playing a character named Thomas. So,
what was McGraw up to behind the scenes that got such a kick out of the cast?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Tim McGraw would likely do a little
crooning while on the set of "1883," but what co-star LaMonica Garrett didn't expect
was for the country legend to sing about every little thing
under the sun — and on a constant basis, to boot. Garrett told People magazine,
"On set, Tim sings every day. Every day, like in between takes, he's just,
he's humming. He's doing something. He sings all the time."
According to McGraw's co-star, it didn't matter what he was doing or what kind of weather it was,
the star of the "Yellowstone" prequel series was going to get his notes out. Garrett continued,
"He'll sing, 'The horse is angry today' in a jingle. [...] You know,
he's a singer and that's what singers do. They sing about their own stuff and everything else."
The upcoming prequel series takes place in an even more wild setting than "Yellowstone,"
with the stronger "Wild West" feel adding difficulty to the filming process.
In fact, Sam Elliott told Entertainment Weekly that the first month of filming,
which took place in Texas, was "brutal" and frequently "100 degrees."
Garret told People,
"This is [filmed] outdoors 98 percent of the time, where it'll be a hundred degrees and humid,
or you're in Montana and it's 15 degrees or 20 degrees and it's just
freezing from sun up to sun down."
Add to that constant dust and sweat, and you'd likely welcome some entertainment to take your
mind off of the intense work. So why not listen to a Grammy-winning artist like Tim McGraw?
Also starring in "1883" is McGraw's wife and five-time Grammy-winning singer Faith Hill,
who plays Margaret Dutton, the strong-willed matriarch of the Dutton family and McGraw's
character's wife. Although there are no reports of Hill joining in with her husband's humming
and singing, that would definitely be quite the gift for the cast and crew.
The couple has been married since October of 1996, making this year their 25th anniversary.
McGraw and Hill have worked on music together and toured many times in the past, but "1883"
will be their first official acting project together. Taking on this classic story of a family
protecting themselves and their possessions from the dangerous world of the late 1800s in America,
many people are excited to see the entire cast of "1883" bring the rich story to life.
The first episode of "1883" is set to debut on December 19.
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