Faith Hill Says She Was ‘Grossed Out’ By One of Taylor Sheridan’s Requests for ‘1883’

Dedicated actors try to be as authentic as possible when taking on a role. Some learn a skill like Mahershala Ali, who learned to play the piano for The Green Book, or Natalie Portman, who learned ballet for Black Swan. Other actors opt to physically transform themselves for a role. Christian Bale shed 60 pounds for his role in American Psycho while Renee Zellweger gained 30 pounds for Bridget Jones’ Diary, though she opted for prosthetics and a fat suit when she played the titular role in The Thing About Pam.

Still others grow out their hair or beards for a role. Then there’s Faith Hill. The popular country singer had to go the extra mile to take on her role as Margaret Dutton on the Yellowstone prequel series, 1883. To stay authentic to the time period, Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the show, asked Hill to grow out her underarm hair.

In a 2022 segment on Variety magazine’s Actors on Actors series, Hill was asked by fellow actor, Courteney Cox, if she had to grow out her armpit hair to stay authentic to the period. (Shaving underarms didn’t become the norm until around 1915.)

Hill replied she did and that the experience was difficult. Sheridan didn’t call her directly to make the request but instead called her husband and 1883 co-star, Tim McGraw to break the news to her that she would have to forego her usual grooming habits for the role.

“That was really difficult, and Taylor actually called my husband. We were at a wedding, our nephew’s wedding, and he said, ‘Who’s gonna be the one to tell your wife that she has to stop shaving under her arms?’” Hill said. “And I’m thinking, ‘What? We’re at a wedding. Can this wait?’ He goes, ‘No, stop tonight.’”

In hopes of avoiding growing out her underarm hair, Hill even asked about applying fake hair, noting that some of the actors on the Paramount+ series would have fake beards. Her request was denied. So, several months before principal photography began on the series, Hill stopped her grooming ritual and let her underarm hair grow out.

But was it all for naught? There were only a few scenes where Hill was in her undergarments or in a bathtub. Most of her time onscreen as Margaret Dutton was fully clothed, in long sleeve blouses and dresses.

Hill did underscore that she respects women who choose not to shave their underarms, but that she did not enjoy it. “All due respect to those who love that, and all that freedom, woo!” Hill said. “But for me, personally, I just don’t like it.”

Cox noted that she would not be able to fulfill that obligation had it been her as she has laser hair removal. Hill replied, “I don’t laser, but I may now… So I never have to do that again. It really grossed me out, I have to say.”

Watch the full interview below.