Lainey Wilson and Her Family Recall Her Shooting ‘Yellowstone’ Amid Her Dad’s Health Issues

Updated:

May 29, 2024 11:41 am

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Lainey Wilson’s connection to Yellowstone started in the second season of the hit TV show. The series featured one of her songs during the season premiere. Later, series creator Taylor Sheridan invited Wilson to join the cast as Abby, a country singer who became a love interest for one of the Dutton Ranch’s cowboys. It was a great opportunity for her. However, it came at a very dark time for her family. At the time, Wilson’s dad was dealing with a possibly fatal health issue.

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Wilson and her parents spoke to Robin Roberts about the rough patch and how they dealt with it in the new documentary special Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country.

Lainey Wilson and Her Parents Recall Her Joining the Yellowstone Cast

When Sheridan extended the invitation, Wilson had never acted before. However, she wanted to take the role to push herself to step outside of her comfort zone. The role, she said, became important in boosting her self-esteem.

“When Lainey was shooting up to the top, we were having some major lows in our life,” Wilson’s mother, Michelle recalled. “My husband was diagnosed with mucormycosis, which most people don’t live through,” she added.

Mucormycosis is a rare and serious fungal infection that mainly affects people with compromised immune systems. It can affect the sinuses, lungs, and skin after an injury.

Wilson almost turned down her Yellowstone role to stay close to her dad. However, he wasn’t going to allow her to do that. “I said, ‘If I’m supposed to be here, I’ll be here. If I’m not, you come to my funeral,’” Wilson’s dad Brian, recalled. “I mean, it’s hard to tell somebody to do that, but to me, it was the right thing to do,” he added.

So, being an obedient daughter, Wilson pulled herself together and got on a plane to go shoot the show. “I would do a line and would go over to the corner and I’d cry and then I’d come back and I’d do a line,” Wilson recalled. “Of course, my job is very, very important but I still am a daughter and I think it was maybe life’s way of keeping me grounded and reminding me what is most important,” she said.

Featured Image by Aliah Anderson/WireImage