Yellowstone: 1883 Books Another Major Guest Star Following Tom Hanks Cameo

There is certainly no shortage of guest stars in Paramount’s record-breaking western series 1883. The Yellowstone prequel series on Paramount+ already has a stacked core cast, which includes the likes of Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. The second episode featured not only a meaty role for Billy Bob Thornton as a gunslinging lawman (who will likely return later on in the season), but it also included a surprise cameo from screen icon Tom Hanks. Believe it or not, there are even more big guest spots on the way this season.

According to Variety, Rita Wilson is going to appear on an upcoming episode of 1883, playing a shopkeeper in Doan’s Crossing, who chats with Hill’s Margaret Dutton over a drink. What makes the role even more interesting is remembering that Wilson and Hanks are married, so both came out to the set to shoot a scene for the same show.

We have Hill and McGraw (another real life married couple) to thank for the addition of Wilson and Hanks to the Yellowstone universe. The two couples have been incredibly close friends for decades, and the stars of 1883 reached out to their longtime pals to see if they’d join them on their new series. 

During a roundtable ahead of 1883‘s premiere, McGraw explained that he specifically wanted to share his Civil War flashback scene with Hanks, because they’re such close friends. Hanks and Wilson flew out to the set and spent a few days with McGraw and Hill’s cabin while they filmed the two cameo scenes.

“Well, Tom and Rita and Faith and I have been friends for almost 25 years, we’re really good friends. So we spent a lot of time together,” McGraw explained. “So when I read the script and read the second episode, I just had an idea and I called Tom and said, ‘What do you think about showing up for this cameo to do this show?’ I said, ‘Faith and I are doing this show. It’s our first really big parts and trying to carry something, we’re doing it together.’ And he goes, ‘Tell me when, tell me where and I’ll be there.’ It was just that simple.”

“[Hanks and Wilson] stayed with us for a couple of days before we shot. But the morning that we shot, we separated from each other, because he didn’t want to see me because I’m in hair and makeup and a whole different sort of look than I have in the whole show and I didn’t want to see him. And so the first time I actually see him is when he walks up to me in the scene, we did that on purpose,” McGraw continued.

Are you looking forward to seeing Rita Wilson appear on 1883? Let us know in the comments!