Even though Isabel May was already in the public eye, thanks to her work on “Alexa & Katie” and “Young Sheldon,” it wasn’t until she landed a leading role in the “Yellowstone” prequel, “1883,” alongside some very experienced actors, that her career was seriously boosted. Needless to say, “1883” has been a huge stepping stone in May’s career — in fact, the show’s premiere drew the most viewers of any cable series since 2015 (via Variety).
So, how did May land such a major role? Well, it turns out, it only took one audition — and it wasn’t even an audition for “1883”! “Taylor [Sheridan, the show’s creator] was doing another project called ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ and in March 2021, something like that, he flew three girls out to Texas, including myself,” May told The Hollywood Reporter. “So I auditioned for that, and I was terribly wrong for it.”
Even though May didn’t get that part, Sheridan decided she was perfect for “1883” and offered her the part just a few weeks later. “I said, ‘Well, of course, I’ll be Elsa Dutton because you’re Taylor Sheridan and it’s my dream to work with you,'” May recalled.
