Michael Shannon Confirmed to Play George Jones in New Paramount+ Show ‘George & Tammy’

Knives Out actor Michael Shannon has been confirmed to be portraying late country music legend George Jones in a new Paramount+ show. Titled George & Tammy, the series will also feature Jessica Chastain ( as fellow country icon Tammy Wynette. Deadline reports that both stars will do their own singing in order to best capture the performances of the two country music stars. The series will first air on Spectrum, and then make its way to Paramount+.

George & Tammy is based on The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George, a 2011 memoir written by Tamala Georgette, their only child together. The book recounts her childhood experience as country music royalty. The real-life couple was married for six years, from 1969 until 1975. Jones and Wynette’s relationship was notoriously turbulent, but inspired a number of popular songs, such as “We’re Gonna Hold On” and “Golden Ring.” The six-episode limited series is being directed by John Hillcoat, whose film resume includes The Proposition, The Road, Lawless, and Triple 9. In addition to Shannon and Chastain, actor Steve Zahn has also been cast. Zahn will be portraying late songwriter George Richey, whom Wynette married after divorcing Jones.

Back in 2013, Georgette sat down with Kentucky Country Music and spoke about her life, including what she thinks is the biggest misconception that fans have had about her family over the years. “I think automatically when people hear my parents’ names and they think about us, they think we’re very spoiled and we’re very over-privileged; that we are spoon-fed, so to speak, people, that we would be stuck up,” Georgette said. “I think there are a lot of stereotypes that are put on, especially of children. They expect their children to have been really spoiled. Mom did not raise us that way.”

Georgette continued, “I’m not going to say or tell a lie. We had nice things. We lived in a nice home. But at the same time, mom had very strict rules at home. We had very old-fashioned and strict rules to an extent that we all had chores to do to earn our allowance. If we didn’t make good grades and make our beds, or do this or that, we didn’t get our $5 a week or whatever it was to have spending money for extra things that we had to earn. I’ve had a job since I was fourteen.”

She went on to share, “As an adult, you know I think a lot of people expect that just because who my parents are, we would still be catered to and have all this money. We’ve always been very independent. I’ve worked as a nurse. I’ve struggled to take care of two kids on my own when I was a single mom. I don’t think it’s nearly quite as glamorous lifestyle that people think that is. It’s just normal like everyone else. The only difference maybe is because of who they are we’ve been to places that maybe other people wouldn’t have. Honestly, our lives are really much so not any different than everyone else.”