Tom Hanks Made a Surprise Cameo on 1883

Since the first round of casting news broke, it's been clear that the Yellowstone prequel show 1883 was going to have a big name cast. With country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in leading roles, along with western icon Sam Elliott, and even appearances by Billy Bob Thornton, there has been star power behind the scenes of Taylor Sheridan's latest venture from the very beginning. But there's one famous face that comes as something of a surprise in the show's second episode—that of A-list actor/director/producer Tom Hanks.

The Oscar-winner popped up unexpectedly at the beginning of the episode, when audiences were treated to a flashback of James Dutton (Tim McGraw) in the aftermath of the Civil War Battle of Antietam. In it, Dutton, dressed in a Confederate uniform, wanders the carnage of the battlefield before being approached by Union soldiers. While the moment certainly doesn't bode well for Dutton (who we discover via narration was held in a Union prison during the war), he's ultimately approached by a three-star Union general, played by Hanks, who offers him some emotional support amidst the turmoil of the war.

Deadline confirmed in an exclusive that Hanks's character was inspired by real life General George Meade, and that he shot his scene in one day in late September, outside Weatherford, Texas. He also, reportedly, won't be the only star surprise to appear in 1883's first season, though it looks like we'll have to wait to find out what other celebrities might show up on the trail west.

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