Lainey Wilson Returned to ‘Yellowstone’ for the Show’s Series Finale
*This article contains spoilers for the series finale of Yellowstone*
The hit western drama Yellowstone aired its final episode on Sunday, December 15, answering viewers’ lingering questions about the Dutton family’s fates.
Fans were also treated to the return of a familiar face, as Lainey Wilson reprised her role to conclude the storyline of her reoccurring character, who hadn’t appeared in quite some time. Wilson made her debut on the show during the first half of season 5.
If you didn’t know, Wilson portrayed Abby, a local musician who became a love interest for Ian Bohen’s character, Ryan. Wilson appeared in four episodes before returning for the series finale. Surprisingly, this was her first-ever experience in an acting role.
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The role was offered to Wilson by show creator Taylor Sheridan after the two had been in talks for a while, with Sheridan having previously featured Wilson’s music in past seasons.
In an interview with Hoda Kotb, Wilson recalled how her character, Abby, came to be.
“Well, Taylor Sheridan told me, because we were on the phone, he said, ‘I’ve got an idea,’ and I’m like, This man is full of crazy ideas.’ He is. He’s crazy,” Wilson joked. “But he said, ‘I want to create a character specifically for you, and I want you to sing your music and kind of be yourself, but go by a musician named Abby.’”
She continued, “I said, ‘Well, you know, I’ve never acted a day in my life.’ And he said, ‘Well, most musicians that I work with, without even knowing it, they’re actors and actresses because at times, you got to stand up on that stage. And maybe you just lost somebody the night before, maybe you’re going through a breakup, maybe, who knows?’ But you got to hide all these feelings when you get up on that stage because it’s not about you.”
What Happened With Lainey Wilson’s Character in the Series Finale?
If you’re an avid viewer of the show, you probably remember that the last time we saw Abby, she and Ryan had parted ways so he could focus on his ranching duties in Texas.
Now, Ryan’s plans have changed. He decides that tending to the cattle is no longer what he wants to do, especially because the Yellowstone Ranch is shutting down.
He knows in his heart that he needs to rekindle with Abby, which is why he buys a ticket to one of her concerts. From there, viewers watch as Ryan enters the venue, where Abby is on stage singing “Hang Tight Honey,” one of Wilson’s real-life hits.
The two meet shortly after Abby finishes singing the final lyrics of the song. Ryan then admits choosing to work on the ranch over her was a mistake.
“You are my Super Bowl,” he tells her, just before the two embrace in a passionate kiss. Abby then invites him to join “life on the bus” with her, and Ryan happily agrees.
From there, fans can only assume that Abby and Ryan’s love story ends in a happily ever after together.