Tim McGraw and Faith Hill both have plenty of experience acting separately, but in 1883 — the new Paramount+ prequel to Yellowstone — they’re playing husband and wife.
However, there are some key differences between their on-screen marriage and their real-life marriage, the couple explain in a new People interview. They try to keep things separate between their life at home and their life on set.
“We have made it a point not to work on our scenes together until we’re on set,” says Faith. “It’s important that we react to each other naturally as characters, not as husband and wife.”
Of course, they can’t help but borrow some of their off-screen chemistry for their roles. One example, Tim says, is a scene in the show when Faith’s character slaps his.
“I was expecting a finger slap but it was a paw to the jaw,” the singer jokes. “There was 25 years of pent-up aggression going on! When you see it on screen, you realize it was a genuine hit.”
There have been other difficult moments, too, like the scene that appears in a new trailer for the show, where Tim and Faith’s characters take a bath together.
“It was really uncomfortable for me personally because I’m a very shy person in that type of situation,” Faith admits. “I obviously feel comfortable with my husband, but this is different. For intimate scenes, I feel like that belongs to us.”
Still, the couple agree that playing each other’s on-screen loves has been an exciting new project to work on together. “I’ve never had so much fun in my life,” Tim says, with Faith adding, “I don’t want to stop.”
1883 premieres on Dec. 19 on Paramount+.
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