Who Was Melanie Olmstead? And Did She Appear In Yellowstone? 

Melanie Olmstead did not appear for a single second on Yellowstone, but she does have her episode. Yellowstone, produced by Taylor Sheridan, is slated to end with season 5 part 2 in late 2024, telling the narrative of the Yellowstone Ranch and the cowboys, landowners, Native Americans, and other speculators interested in the lucrative tract of property. The Sheridanverse consists of three shows set in the same universe: Yellowstone, 1833, and 1923; nonetheless, Yellowstone will be recognized as the showrunner’s best achievement.

Yellowstone and its sibling series have memorable characters played by excellent performers. However, because these types of shows involve on-location filming, live animals, and many film crews, the behind-the-scenes staff are just as important to Yellowstone as Cole Hauser or Kelly Reilly. One of these persons behind the scenes is mentioned specifically in the season 2 finale. It’s an explosive finale, with John including Rip in his will, a significant character dying, and Beth and Rip’s friendship blossoming. It also commemorates the death of a real-life friend of the program.

Melanie Olmstead Didn’t Appear in Yellowstone But…

Season 2, episode 10, “Sins of the Father,” ends with a card dedicating the episode to Melanie Olmstead’s memory: “In memory of Melanie Olmstead 1968-2019.” Olmstead served as a driver on several film and television productions throughout her career. Her part was not in front of a camera but behind the wheel of a vehicle. Following her first Hollywood employment as a location assistant on Billy Baldwin’s 2000 film Primary Suspect, Olmstead’s career consisted primarily of driving. Her filmography includes Wind River (another Sheridan picture), John Carter, and Hereditary.

What Is The Actual Connection Between Yellowstone And Melanie Olmstead? 

The majority of Olmstead’s films and television episodes include Utah as a filming location. Surprisingly, Yellowstone is not included on her IMDb website, despite reports in magazines like Express that she is working on the project. Yellowstone is filmed in Utah, so having a competent and experienced driver who has worked on several filming locations in the state would undoubtedly be beneficial, even if Melanie Olmstead did not do so in an “official” role.

Melanie Olmstead Was Attracted To Horses And This Is What Attracted Her To Yellowstone

Melanie Olmstead lived a solitary life; other than the fact that she was born in 1968 and died in 2019, little is known about her. She does have a remarkable Facebook post from June 12, 2018, nearly a year before her death, in which she expressed her love of horses. In the article, she provides a photo of her horse, “Mahogany”, and writes, “My love affair with horses started about the time I learned to walk, but I didn’t get my first “all mine” horse until I was an adult.” This gorgeous, magnificent girl has been with me since college and recently celebrated her 37th birthday—for my non-horsey pals, that’s more than 100 in human years—and she’s still going strong!

Happy birthday, Mahogany, and thank you for being my oldest!

Yellostone’s Tribute To Melanie Olmstead

If Melanie Olmstead enjoyed horses, working on Yellowstone must have been a dream come true. Horses have a key role in the series; numerous characters deliver or receive Yellowstone’s best lines while riding a horse. John Dutton, Rip, and Lloyd are frequently seen riding one of their favorite animals. Melanie Olmstead meant so much to the show that a season finale was devoted to her. Hopefully, she was able to get some horseback riding in before she left.