See the Stars of George & Tammy Compared to the Real-Life People They Play

Mar. 15, 2025

01of 05

Jessica Chastain as Tammy Wynette

Dana Hawley/SHOWTIME; Lynne McAfee/Shutterstock

Early in life, Wynette, born Virginia Wynette Pugh, worked picking cotton and later enrolled in beauty school. It wasn’t until 1965 that the young mother of three beganmaking trips to Nashville in an attempt to pursue a career in musicand get a record deal, according to her website.

She married her third husband, country musician George Jones, whom she had idolized as a teen, in 1969. The two had a rocky six-year marriage,and a musical partnership that yielded a string of hit duets.

The new show is adapted from the memoir of their only daughter, Georgette Jones Lennon,The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George.Chastain has beenconnected to the projectsince 2011, perThe Hollywood Reporter,and served as a producer on the series.

“I’m very protective of them and I can’t imagine anyone else playing her, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing George, which was why I called Mike,” Chastain told the outlet of the couple, and how she recruited Michael Shannon to play opposite her as Jones. “I know how protective Mike is of the characters he plays so it just felt like the right recipe for a working environment.”

02of 05

Michael Shannon as George Jones

Dana Hawley/SHOWTIME; LMPC/Getty

As Jones was to Wynette, she was also his third spouse and while the two released numerous hits together they also continued to record music on their own.

While on the outside they were faces of country music, behind the scenes their marriage was struggling in part due to his issues with drugs and alcohol. In 1973,Wynette filed for divorcefrom her husband, Biography.com noted, though the two attempted to reconcile and even released the song “We’re Gonna Hold On.”

The stars finally divorced in 1975, though continued to work together on occasion, Biography.com reported, including with songs “Golden Ring” and “Near You.” They went on a reunion tour in 1995, three years before Wynette died.

“I think that the important thing to remember isGeorge and Tammy themselves conveyedso much pain and beauty and sorrow and joy and happiness and all of this emotion in their vocals, and that’s what we wanted to capture with Michael and Jessica,” showrunner Abe Sylvia toldThe Hollywood Reporter.

03of 05

David Wilson Barnes as Billy Sherrill

Dana Hawley/Showtime; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

According to theRolling Stones' obituary for the country music icon following his death in 2015, after signing Wynette in 1966, the pairwent on to have 20 songs top the country charts— many of which Sherill co-wrote, including 1968’s “Stand By Your Man.”

Sherill also worked closely with Jones for nearly 20 years, perRolling Stone. Sherill encouraged him to record “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” which won an assortment of accolades including a Grammy for best male country performance, plus a spot in the Library of Congress.

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Sherrill wrote, or helped to write, many of Wynette’smost popular songs.

04of 05Steve Zahn as George RicheyDana Hawley/Showtime; Bettmann/GettySteve Zahn plays George Richey, a songwriter, producer and longtime friend of Wynette whom she married in 1978. Richeymanaged Wynetteup until her death in 1998, perDeadline.

04of 05

Steve Zahn as George Richey

Dana Hawley/Showtime; Bettmann/Getty

Steve Zahn plays George Richey, a songwriter, producer and longtime friend of Wynette whom she married in 1978. Richeymanaged Wynetteup until her death in 1998, perDeadline.

05of 05Pat Healy as Don ChapelBrownie Harris/Showtime; Sur-Speed RecordsPat Healy plays Don Chapel, Wynette’s second husband and songwriter. When she first met Jones, she was still married to Chapel, though their union lasted just 15 months.Their marriage came to an end afterJones confessed his love for the singerto Chapel himself in front of Wynette. As it turned out, she felt the same way and the pair left with her three children that night.

05of 05

Pat Healy as Don Chapel

Brownie Harris/Showtime; Sur-Speed Records

Pat Healy plays Don Chapel, Wynette’s second husband and songwriter. When she first met Jones, she was still married to Chapel, though their union lasted just 15 months.

Their marriage came to an end afterJones confessed his love for the singerto Chapel himself in front of Wynette. As it turned out, she felt the same way and the pair left with her three children that night.

source: people.com