Faith Hill Gets Real About “Enormous Responsibility” She Felt Playing Margaret Dutton

Faith Hill / Instagram

The finale of 1883 was released on Sunday (February 27) and it was hard to get through. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill turned in emotional performances as James and Margaret Dutton.

The country music power couple spoke with Variety about their characters. Faith said she felt a huge “weight and responsibility” once she took on the role.

“I knew the weight and responsibility of playing Margaret and telling the story and bringing her to life — I felt an enormous responsibility. I did not want to fail,” she said.

Faith felt an extra sense of duty while playing Margaret because she reminded her of her own mother, Edna Perry. Edna passed away in 2016 at the age of 80.

“I was adopted and she was one of the strongest women I ever have encountered in my life,” Faith said of her late mother. “She passed on a few years ago, but her strength was just — nothing compares to it.”

Faith went on to describe how hard her mother worked and how deeply she cared about others:

“She was really, really smart and worked three jobs. My dad couldn’t read. He’s since passed too, but she was raising my two older brothers and me during a rough time…She also picked cotton and worked so hard and had such a strong faith and belief that everyone should be treated equally. She believed to never judge someone until you walk in their shoes.”

Faith said her mother often came to mind while she was playing Margaret in 1883:

“I thought, when you love your family, you fight. You do whatever it takes to keep them safe. And obviously I would do that in real life — if anyone messes with my kids, I will hurt you. That’s me talking. But I did think about my mom a lot when I was playing Margaret. She didn’t have the resources back then that we have now. It was remarkable what people did, but that the common theme is the fact that we were all fighting for the same thing, protecting our family trying to find a better life for our family. When you come together, the things that you can do when you come together, you witness that on the trail.”

We’re sure Faith’s mom would have been so proud to watch her in 1883. It sounds like she was one remarkable woman.