Nashville‘s fourth season is currently under way and like the three previous seasons, it appears this one will be just as delightfully dramatic. The ABC drama, starring Connie Britton, has feared cancellation every season, but thankfully, ABC continues to renew the nighttime soap opera that follows the lives of country music sensations Rayna James and Juliette Barnes. Though the series has gone through several cast changes over the years (Eric Close and Oliver Hudson have only been appearing periodically so far this season), there have been several cast members that have been with the series since the very beginning including Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson, and Charles Esten. Though you may have followed some of these stars’ careers over the years, there may be a thing or two that you don’t know about them. Here is our list of nine fun facts you may have never heard about the cast of Nashville.
1. Jonathan Jackson got his start on another ABC soap opera
Jonathan Jackson has been playing Juliette Barnes’ faithful husband Avery Barkley on Nashville since the nighttime drama began back in 2012. However, this is not his first time he has starred on another soap opera. He played Lucky Spencer the son of beloved characters Luke and Laura from 1993 to 1999 on General Hospital. During that time he won three Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Jackson would return to General Hospital in 2009 and would stay with the soap opera until 2011 and take home an two additional Emmys.
2. Connie Britton has received four consecutive Emmy nominations for three different roles
It should not be a surprise to any Nashville fan that Connie Britton is a terrific actress. The Emmy committee agrees with that statement as well. Britton received an Emmy nomination from 2010-2013. The first two years, Britton achieved her nominations by portraying Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights. In 2012, Britton was nominated for her work on the miniseries American Horror Story. Britton’s final nomination to date came from her work on Nashville playing Rayna James.
3. Hayden Panettiere has done voice-over work for many video games
Nashville star Hayden Panettiere has been in the acting business she was 11 months old appearing in a commercial. Since then, Panettiere has appeared in movies and TV shows including A Bug’s Life, One Life to Live, and Heroes. Aside from her on-screen work in TV and film, Panettiere has lent her voice talents to 10 different video games. The first came in 1998 with A Bug’s Life. She has voiced Kairi in five Kingdom Hearts video games between 2002 and 2014. Her latest video game voice work can be heard in Until Dawn, a survival horror game released on PlayStation 4.
4. Charles Esten is a funny guy
Charles Esten does not get very many chances to show off his comedic side playing Deacon Claybourne on Nashville. However, that does not mean the talented actor has not had the opportunity to show how funny he is on TV. In 1999, Esten began appearing on the Drew Carey improvisation show Whose Line is it Anyway? and would continue to make appearances on the series through 2005. He would work with Carey on his other improv projects Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show and Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza.
5. Clare Bowen is a cancer survivor
Australian born actress Clare Bowen has been playing Scarlett O’Connor on Nashville since the show premiered in 2012. In the early years of her life, Bowen fought a three year battle with cancer that began when she was only four years old. Bowen would have to go through her chemo sessions while also attending grade school. Bowen is currently cancer free and is a Youth Ambassador for the Australian Cancer Council.
6. Chris Carmack was an A&F Model
Chris Carmack joined the series Nashville as Will Lexington towards the end of the first season. He became a permanent cast member during Season 2. While attending acting school in New York, Carmack was discovered by a modeling agency and would begin his career modeling for the young adult clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch. The store was often criticized for having its models wearing barely any clothing at all. Carmack’s modeling work led to him securing the role of Luke on the first season of The OC.
7. Oliver Hudson comes from a famous family
Oliver Hudson joined the cast of Nashville in 2013 after ending his seven-season stint as Adam on Rules of Engagement. Hudson’s mother is Goldie Hawn, who is know for her work in such films as Private Benjamin, Overboard, and The First Wives Club. Hudson’s younger sister is Kate Hudson, who has found fame by starring in several romantic comedies, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Bride Wars. Hudson’s father is American Musician Bill Hudson, thought he and Kate were raised by Goldie and her longtime boyfriend Kurt Russell.
8. Eric Close has a special autograph
Thought he will most likely not be appearing on many episodes this season of Nashville, Eric Close has played Teddy Conrad on the series since its premiere. Prior to starring on the drama, Close played Martin Fitzgerald on all seven seasons of the CBS drama Without a Trace. Close and his family belong to a Presbyterian Church in California and he has been known to sign autographs with the Bible verse Philippians 4:13. The verse reads as, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
9. Maddie and Daphne are sisters in real life
If you want actors who are playing siblings to act like actual siblings, why not hire the real deal? That is exactly what the producers of Nashville did when they cast Lennon and Maisy Stella to play Rayna’s daughters Maddie and Daphne. The sisters are a music group and Maisy has always shown an interest in acting too. When she auditioned for the role of Daphne, the producers found out she had an older sister and decided to hire them both.
Who is your favorite character on Nashville? Let us know in the comments section below.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for SiriusXM
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