The One Thing Tim McGraw And Faith Hill Refuse To Do For Yellowstone's 1883

The new "Yellowstone" prequel series "1883" takes viewers back to the titular year to see how the Dutton family first wound up with their famous ranch. Although, it doesn't appear to have been the easiest, most laid-back production in the world to film. It involves a lot of outdoor shooting and tangling with nature's elements, not to mention all those uncomfortable period costumes. One Entertainment Weekly interview revealed that it wasn't just the costumes that were period accurate, but somewhat terrifyingly, the bathrooms as well. As cast member Faith Hill put it: "You learn how to pick a tree, squat down, and do your business." 

In other words, starring in "1883" isn't exactly a task for the faint of heart or for prima donnas. Nevertheless, the cast has braved the storm so far, creating for audiences a new, thrilling installment in the "Yellowstone" canon. Although, they are all human beings, so it should come as no surprise that some have voiced the odd reservation now and again. For instance, there is one thing that married couple and co-stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill took completely off the table for their work on the show –- and it might not be the kind of thing you would guess. Fortunately, it probably isn't anything the show's producers would have expected them to do anyway.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are, of course, very accomplished country singers in their "day jobs," apart from acting. Both of their discographies date back to the 1990s and they've each earned their fair share of awards and honors over the years, releasing chart-topper after chart-topper. But in an interview with Taste of Country, McGraw revealed that despite their backgrounds, knowledge, and worldwide recognition as musicians, "1883" viewers shouldn't expect to see any singing from the two on the program. 

For one thing, McGraw correctly points out that his character on the show, James Dutton, doesn't share his own musical inclinations. "My character, James, I can't imagine him ever singing a note. He's not an artistic guy," McGraw said, adding that "it's not a show that's gonna have anything to do with us singing." He later notes that there are no plans to "turn it into a Broadway play," so don't expect James and Margaret Dutton to tear it up on stage anytime soon either.

There is a glimmer of good news for you, though. McGraw says that even though he won't be singing on "1883," the series has inspired him in his songwriting capacity: "I mean, I've written songs, it's inspired me to write songs that have a theme that sometimes revolve around some of the things that happen on the show, but it's not that kind of show." When or how these tracks will arrive remains a mystery, so keep your fingers crossed that they'll come out soon, country music fans.

By toning down their musical inclinations, it's clear that Tim McGraw and Faith Hill take their "1883" roles incredibly seriously. They were willing to put aside what they're best known for in pop culture for the sake of doing James and Margaret Dutton justice on the small screen. However, their devotion to their characters didn't stop there, seeing as both country music sensations took other drastic measures behind the scenes to fully embody their respective roles.

In the case of Tim McGraw, specifically, he told Taste of Country about his strenuous workout routine in January of 2022. "I have to be in the gym every morning. The toughest part is being up at 3 in the morning every morning in order to make your call times," he explained, mentioning that if he doesn't manage to pump some iron before the cameras roll, he feels that the on-set energy shifts in a negative way. "My workouts are sort of like my meditation."

Additionally, as explained by Faith Hill in an interview with Wide Open Country, she and her husband made a conscious effort not to read through their scenes together. According to her, they wanted to wait until it came time to work in front of the camera together to achieve the most natural performances they could — something they felt was only possible if they added a layer of spontaneity to their scenes. "After being married for 25 years, we just wanted...to be Margaret and James."

Season 1 of "1883" is currently streaming on Paramount+, where you can apparently see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill acting as unlike their usual selves as possible.