The actor-musician, who plays opposite his real-life wife Faith Hill in the series, talks about how locations played a crucial role and how it was difficult to not get emotional in the face of the characters’ challenges in their migration west.

This past weekend, 101 Studios hosted the world premiere and press junket of the Yellowstone prequel 1883, live at the Wynn Las Vegas.

The series, created by Taylor Sheridan that will stream on Paramount+ starting Dec. 19, stars real-life husband and wife Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as the original settlers of the Dutton dynasty (the descendants of whom are portrayed in the present day in Yellowstone by Kevin Costner’s John Dutton and Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton and their extended brood).

At the Wynn Las Vegas prior to the premiere, McGraw talked about how he prepared to play his character, James Dutton, how the dramatic locations in Montana and the high plains of Texas added authenticity to the series, and how difficult it was to maintain his character’s taciturn sense of calm and control in the face of physical and adversarial hardship without getting emotional.

Taylor Sheridan is known for shooting in some of the most captivating locations. How did the locations play a role in the series?

The locations are a huge character in the show, without these locations I think – seeing real mountains in Montana, seeing real high plains in Texas, seeing all of the things you see, the backdrop is just as important as anything.

I mean I’ve heard the camera guy say several times, “Gosh, we just point the camera in that direction and you guys say your lines and we got a great shot.” That’s just how beautiful it was.

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