WARNING: HUGE NASHVILLE SPOILERS AHOY!
Well she had us fooled. Back in January, on her daytime talk show, Ellen DeGeneres asked Connie Britton about the rumors that she would only recur in the fifth season of the Nashville TV show, which was renewed by CMT, after being unceremoniously cancelled by ABC.
At the time, Britton replied, ““I’m in. I’m in for the duration.” It turns out that wasn’t the duration of Nashville‘s CMT run, or even the duration of season five. Now it’s clear she meant another duration, entirely (revealed after the jump). Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio, Chris Carmack, Lennon Stella and Maisy Stella also star.
Connie Britton Leaves Nashville
Now, Britton’s coming clean with fans about her obfuscation. She meant she would stay with the show for the duration of the Rayna James character. She will still appear on the country music drama series a few more times.
Right now, it seems those will likely be appearances of the dream or spectral variety. After all, last night’s Nashville episode 5.09, “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” ended (for the most part) the duration of Miss Rayna James. Despite an early rally, ultimately, Rayna succumbed to injuries she suffered in (yet) an(other) automobile accident which happened during 5.08, “Stand Beside Me.”
While Britton is a single mother to a young son and lives in L.A., Nashville actually shoots in Nashville, TN. After ten straight years on TV show dramas (she previously starred in NBC‘s Friday Night Lights), the actress probably needed a little breather. Although she doesn’t talk about her reasons for wanting to leave, she said she had been thinking about it for a while.
Here’s more on Britton’s exit, via TV Line:
Connie Britton On Choosing to Exit Nashville
TVLINE | First off, for the record, this was your decision to leave, correct?
It was. It was something that had been percolating over time, and there were lots of different reasons behind it. But my priority was really making sure that the timing was right. My priority has always been Nashville. So when the show was moved to CMT and we got these great new showrunners — Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick — I was [confident] the show would be in a good place. Because one thing we learned over the summer is how passionate the fans are. We would not be on the air right now if it weren’t for the fans. We’ve all been so incredibly grateful for that. But the fans love every single one of these characters. And the show is now in a place where all of these characters can live and just be incredibly dynamic and amazing. I feel like Nashville can go on indefinitely.
TVLINE | Did you feel like you accomplished everything you set out to with Rayna?
Maybe that was part of it. As I said, there were a lot of things that came into play. Some of them were personal… It was just the right timing.
TVLINE | Some fans are going to be especially shocked by Rayna’s death after you assured them last month on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that you would be sticking around for “the duration.”
The duration of Rayna’s character. [Laughs] To be completely honest, I was taken off guard. I had no idea that Ellen was going to bring up [the exit rumors]. I was really [put] on the spot and I had to protect the story. My commitment has always been to the show. But I’m not a good liar! [Laughs] So, “I’m in it for the duration,” in my mind [means] I’m in it for the duration of… what I perceived to be this character. But of course, I understand why it was construed in the way it was. That was a very difficult moment for me.
TVLINE | Did you have any say in how Rayna would leave?
No. Marshall definitely shared his ideas with me. And I was so appreciative of that. It was so important to me, as I said, to do it in a way that felt like it was honoring the character. I really wanted to do justice to Rayna. And I felt like he really did that… I was not excited for Rayna to die though. [Laughs]
TVLINE | Was there ever any discussion of her leaving town versus dying?
When I was talking to Marshall this summer, I was like, “Does she have to die?” [Laughs] But then I realized: She would never leave her family. She would never leave her kids. She would never leave Deacon. So there really wasn’t any alternative.
TVLINE | Is this week’s episode the last we see if her?
I do pop back in in after Episode 9. And Nashville‘s always going to be important to me, so I’m totally open to whatever as time goes on. But it is really hard to say goodbye to this character.
Connie Britton Discusses Nashville’s Rayna James
It seems writing out the character in a way that allowed Britton to leave, but didn’t sideline Deacon, Maddie (Lennon Stella), or Daphne (Maisy Stella), and wasn’t totally out of character for Rayna, left them no real option other than kill her off.
When THR asked if she were invited, would return for the eventual Nashville TV series finale, Britton said, “Sure! Absolutely!”
Although Britton says she will pop in a couple of times after episode 5.09, she didn’t say how. Remember though, the record company was filming Rayna and Deacon’s creative process, as they worked on their album, so perhaps she’ll show up in unseen footage from that.
Will you keep watching the Nashville TV show, now that Connie Britton is gone? Take our poll.
What do you think? Are you sticking with Nashville for the duration of the TV show? How would you have liked to see the Rayna character written off? Sound off, in the comments!
As much as I love Connie Britton I think the Rayna was at the end of her story. She got her happily ever after with Deacon and the kids. I would rather her go than have her and Deacon have tons of drama.
The rest of the cast is phenomenal! There’s no way I’m going to stop watching. I love the other characters and there will be plenty of great music and drama to come. It would be a shame to stop watching because 1 character died.
What a mistake!!! I’m sick that this show is over. Juliet, Deacon and Rayna were the greatest characters. WHY DOES IT ALWAYS COME DOWN TO AN ACTOR LEAVING???? Aren’t they happy when they know they have a great show?????!!!! I’m so disappointed. I wish the show would just go on without Connie Britton. Charles Esten and Hayden were so REAL!! Please don’t go. I’m crying already!!
It would be like watching the Blacklist without Raymond Reddington or Blue Bloods without Tom Selleck or True Grit without Rooster Cogburn or Lonesome Dove without Augustus McRae or Dirty Harry without Clint Eastwood.
I’ve watched Nashville since the beginning and have to say that I balled my eyes out for the last two episodes, and even shed a few more tonight watching Deacon deal with his loss. Loved Rayna and their relationship, but also love the rest of the cast and show. Definitely intrigued by how they’ll move forward with the story. Well done CMT and Nashville.
Major part of the Nashville storyline, at this moment I dont see the show without her but we havevro wait and see where the storyline takes us
I am a retired Nurse of 30 years~~Morphine can cause bad dreams!!
Lol, please be right
AFTER ALL MORPHINE CAN CAUSE BAD DREAMS !!
Maybe it’s ALL a bad dream and Rayna will wake up during her funeral after Deacon starts to cry for her and the show will continue with her…
I was really dissapointed they killed her off. She and Deacon’s relationship make the whole drama. Iove her as an actress. I love her in friday night lights. I will continue to watch because of the other two relationships. I love maddie, and sister. I am a big fan of show. My hubby always records it for me when I am not able to watch it.
I remember her on Spin City!!!!
Has anyone noticed her recent Twitter and protest activity?
Just wondering if Connie’s political leanings helped lead to this, based on what’s on her social media feeds and her silence when the army of fans saved her series. I’m sure someone who’s tweeting what she’s tweeting, has no care or corncern for some southern conservative fans, even though it’s their viewership that’s been paying her for the past 4.5 years.
It didn’t have anything to do with it. She’s been wanting to leave for awhile and was probably relieved when ABC cancelled the show, only for it to be saved by CMT.
Just bc she doesn’t share your political views doesn’t mean she’s not appreciative of her fans…
lol Can you believe that she has the balls to dislike bigots even though they are watching her show?!
that’s probably what drew her to leave the show: she was tired of the bigots pretending to be “her fans”. Guess that gave her a taste of what real country music stars have to deal with.