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Grammy-winning country artist Lainey Wilson made her acting debut in the first part of Yellowstone Season 5, but will she be returning for part 2? Keep reading to see if Lainey Wilson is coming back to Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is Paramount’s successful Western drama that follows the real-life Dutton family, who own and operate the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest ranch in the state of Montana. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the series premiered in 2018 and stars Kevin Costner as John Dutton III, the six-generation patriarch of the Dutton family. Throughout the series, John and his family are constantly protecting the Yellowstone ranch from those attempting to take their land, including an Indian reservation and wealthy land developers. The success of the show spawned an entire franchise, which now includes several prequel and sequel series. News broke in May 2023 that the hit series will be ending with Season 5, which has been split up into two parts. The first part premiered in November 2022 and the second part is not slated to premiere until November 2024.
Lainey Wilson appeared in four episodes of Season 5 Part 1 as Abby, an aspiring country musician and Ryan’s (Ian Bohen) love interest. The role was written specifically for the “Water Moonshine” singer and is very similar to who she is in real life. While speaking to People, Wilson revealed that she first got acquainted with Sheridan after her song “Working Overtime” was used in a Season 2 episode before she even had a recording contract. The Yellowstone creator then wrote the role of Abby for her. “He said, ‘I want to create a character specifically for you,'” Wilson recalled of Sheridan. “He said, ‘I want you to wear what you wear, sing what you’re singing and pretty much just be yourself. You’re gonna go by Abby. She’s a musician.’ And without even thinking, I just said, ‘Yes, count me in. Let’s do it.'” She added: “I love creating things and I feel like that’s what acting is. It’s just being creative.”
The singer also addressed her first on-screen kiss during an interview with USA Today. “I didn’t really know what I was doing, but you go in there head-first. I was going to give people their money’s worth,” she said of the moment she shared with Bohen. “I told my mommy and daddy, ‘You might not want to watch this show.’ I don’t want to be on their prayer list.” Unfortunately, Abby and Ryan’s budding romance seemingly went south when Ryan agreed to go to Texas on a cattle drive with the rest of the Yellowstone ranch.
Fans loved seeing Wilson on the show and are hoping that Abby and Ryan reconcile, but with only a handful of episodes left in the series, will she be coming back for part 2? We have the answer below.
Is Lainey Wilson coming back to Yellowstone?
Is Lainey Wilson coming back to Yellowstone? Although we don’t know for sure, even the country singer herself is doubtful. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, in which she won Female video of the Year for “Watermelon Moonshine,” Wilson shared that she would be surprised if she got asked back.
“I’ll be honest with you. I’d be shocked,” she told the outlet. “And I think how [series creator] Taylor Sheridan writes his stories, and he just has a beautiful way of bringing things back and letting things go – I’ll be shocked. So, we’ll see what happens.” She also said that her upcoming tour Country’s Cool Again might conflict with the Yellowstone filming schedule. “What you don’t see on my calendar is rehearsal for this Country’s Cool Again tour. And that’s supposed to be like a week or two. So y’all better let me know,” she said, addressing the Yellowstone team.
Wilson had previously expressed her interest in returning for Season 5 Part 2, telling ET at the 2024 Grammy Awards: “I’m ready for it, I’ll tell you that.” She added: “I’m waiting to see what’s happening. I told Taylor Sheridan, you give me the call and I’ll be there.”
Sheridan has several plot lines to wrap up in the final six episodes, though, and with Abby and Ryan’s relationship over at the moment, it’s very likely that Yellowstone won’t have the time to bring Wilson back.