Jelly Roll's Fire Country Season 3 Role, Explained

Contains spoilers for "Fire Country" Season 3, Episodes 17 — "Fire and Ice"

The Leone family has definitely been in need of some guidance lately thanks to the Alzheimer's diagnosis of patriarch Walter (Jeff Fahey). After some reluctance on the part of Vince (Billy Burke), they've finally agreed to place Walter in a care facility — but when Vince comes to visit, his father doesn't recognize him. That's where Noah (Jason "Jelly Roll" DeFord), an orderly at the care facility, comes in to help Vince reach Walter across the distance of confusion and illness. It's a role that requires a lot of depth from DeFord, who made his acting debut in the episode.

"Fire Country" co-executive producer Max Thieriot, who also plays Bode Leone, said that the singer landed his part in an unusual way. "I met [Jelly Roll] in the bathroom — at the [2024] CMTs [Awards] ... as I'm walking in, he's drying his hands on his way out," Thieriot recalled on CBS Mornings. When DeFord said that he liked the series, Thieriot thanked him for letting them use his songs on the program. That's when the EP said DeFord unleashed his inner "Fire Country" fan, saying, "I'd love to be on the show; I've been petitioning online.'" Thieriot recalled telling the musician that he could get him on the drama, and though he wasn't entirely sure the musician meant it, DeFord ultimately came through.

DeFord confirmed the core of the story to ETOnline, saying, "This is old school Hollywood; I got approached in a bathroom about this show." But there's one interesting discrepancy in his version of events versus Thieriot's.

While Max Thieriot stated that Jason "Jelly Roll" DeFord said he was a major fan of "Fire Country" when they met, DeFord told ETOnline that he actually watched "Fire Country" after meeting Thieriot at the CMTs. "Immediately, I had to go home and watch it," he said. "I got sucked into it like the rest of the world." Now a fan of the series, he happily pursued the part he and Thieriot had discussed.

Whether he was a fan of the show at first blush or not, DeFord was excited to portray a character that didn't require him to sing. "I think it was just important for me to play a role that was cathartic but wasn't musical," he told ET. He was especially excited to be playing a former inmate who's been rehabilitated instead of someone who's trying to beat incarceration. He added that he wants to up his acting game, hoping to work with Jonah Hill as well as pursue a villain role.

While Noah allows him to emote instead of sing onscreen, a new Jelly Roll song — "Dreams Don't Die" — did debut to coincide with his appearance on "Fire Country." However, the part of Noah is fully non-musical and leaves the door open for the character to come back down the line. After all, Noah's now a friend of the Leone clan, he's still working at the facility, and Walter and his care factory will become a big part of the rest of Season 3, including the immense two-part finale.

While the Season 3 two-part finale, "A Change in the Wind" and "I'll Do It Again," will feature a fire that threatens Walter's care home as well as the safety of Three Rock, don't expect to see more of Noah as the crews battle the blaze. While everyone else will be forced to meet the danger head-on, he won't be present for the event. That's, obviously, got more to do with how busy Jason "Jelly Roll" DeFord's touring schedule is slated to become over the summer as he embarks on a stadium tour with Post Malone than anything else.

But don't count the popular musician out! DeFord would definitely like to come back to the drama, and sooner rather than later. "I hope Noah pops up in Season 4, for sure," he told ET Online. Whether his schedule and whatever happens to Walter's care facility in Season 3 allow for that to occur remains to be seen, but until then, Jelly Roll fans can enjoy the musician's first serious acting turn.