As a high school student in Baskin, Louisiana (population 211), Rainie Wilson’s first paying showbiz gig was appearing as TV’s Hannah Montana on the Flatbed Trailer Stage.
The 30-year-old country music singer-songwriter had a surreal image years later in her flatbed trailer in Montana when she performed her song “Watermelon Moonshine” on the scene of Paramount’s “Yellowstone.” I remember that feeling.
“I’m singing on this flatbed stage again, but not in a Hannah Montana wig, and I thought this was the perfect moment for me,” Wilson says. I’m singing ‘Watermelon Moonshine’ about crazy love.”
The love for Wilson only gets wilder and crazier for Wilson, who made her acting debut as free-spirited musician Abby in last month’s season 5 premiere of “Yellowstone.”
Sunday’s episode of TV’s No. 1 show featured a performance of “Moonshine,” with Abby stepping off the flatbed stage and hunky working for Kevin Costner’s John Dutton (now Governor of Montana). sparked a passionate romance with ranch hand Ryan (Ian Bowen).
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What Wilson lacked in her first screen-kissing experience, she made up for in the same The determination and enthusiasm that sparked country music’s breakout star of 2022. The scene is smoking.
“I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I’m going there first and foremost. I was going to give people their money’s worth,” Wilson says. said, ‘You may not want to watch this show.’ I don’t want to be on their prayer list.”
Wilson is a longtime supporter of “Yellowstone,” creator and executive producer Taylor, who featured her song “Working Overtime” in the first episode of Season 2 before the up-and-coming artist signed a recording contract. Big kudos to Sheridan.
Her music was frequently featured in the Paramount series before Sheridan took it notch. He told Wilson in February that he wanted to create an Abby character specifically for performers who love bellbottoms.
“[Sheridan]wanted me to be myself. It was a dream come true, especially when I was trying to introduce myself to people,” Wilson says. , was just about playing a musician who falls in love with one of the boys, and he wouldn’t even tell me which one.”
A devastating family health story nearly derailed her dream job.Wilson nearly canceled when her father, Brian, was placed in intensive care with a fungal infection. From then on, her father told Wilson to get down to business.
“He said, ‘It doesn’t matter if it’s my funeral. If you have work to do, you better go. Don’t come back until it’s done,'” Wilson says. “I packed my bags. It gave me the strength to do it. But I won’t lie. I shot my scene and went to the corner and cried a little bit.”
Wilson’s first “Yellowstone” scene was opposite the belligerent Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly). But Riley, a fan of Wilson’s music, was supportive.
“When I met[Riley]I said, ‘I thought you were going to put me in a headlock,'” Wilson says. “But they got along really well. They even gave me homemade bath salts.”
During that friendly scene, Abby vowed never to date a cowboy. But in a recent episode, there was a dance full of sparks and smiles between Abby and Bunkhouse fixture Ryan.
Wilson won’t say how long the love will last, but admits he had to learn to kiss because of the wide-brimmed cowboy hat. It’s very important,” Wilson says. “And there comes another kiss where I take my hat off. That’s when you know you’re on it.”
The country star has been busy with her burgeoning music career. Four days before the “Yellowstone” season premiered, Wilson brought her then-recovery father to the CMA Awards on Nov. 9 to win the title of Top New Artist. and took home the female vocalist trophy.
‘Yellowstone’ is an almost weekly showcase for her new album, ‘Bell Bottom Country’, out October 28th. Wilson has announced her 27-city tour starting January 4th.
“The crazy part is we’re just getting started. We’re working hard to work harder. Now’s the time to roll up our sleeves,” Wilson says. I’m trying all kinds of new things, even my first acting gig, ‘Yellowstone’, and I can’t wait to see what the next steps are.”