George & Tammy: Paramount+ release date, trailer, and cast with Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon

George & Tammy, a new drama about the relationship between two famous country music stars, is coming to Paramount+ in the UK on Monday 5 December.

The series, which stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, is based on the true story of Tammy Wynette and George Jones.

Here’s everything you need to know about George and Tammy ahead of its arrival on Paramount+.

What is it about?

George & Tammy tells the story of two famous country music stars, Tammy Wynette and George Jones, who were popular in the 1960s and 70s; Wynette was one of the first major female country music stars, and is credited with massively shaking up the genre. The series charts the ups and downs of both their professional and personal relationships.

The official Paramount+ synopsis for the first episode explains that “up-and-coming singer Tammy Wynette gets a big break when she’s asked to open for her idol, country legend George Jones. The two have an immediate romantic connection and undeniable musical chemistry, but their would-be pairing faces a major obstacle: Tammy’s husband Don Chapel.”

Who stars in George & Tammy?

Michael Shannon plays George Jones, one half of the country music duo George and Tammy. He’s best known for appearing in Groundhog Day (his film debut) and 8 Mile, though you’ll likely also recognise him from films like Nocturnal Animals, Revolutionary Road, and The Shape of Water. On television, Shannon has appeared in Nine Perfect Strangers and Boardwalk Empire.

Jessica Chastain plays Tammy Wynette, the other half of the country music duo George and Tammy. You’ll recognise Chastain from films like Zero Dark Thirty, Miss Sloane, and Molly’s Game, or television series like Scenes from a Marriage. Most recently, she appeared in Netflix true crime drama The Good Nurse, and appeared alongside Andrew Garfield as another famous Tammy in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

Steve Zahn plays George Richey, and influential songwriter and producer. Zahn is a character actor, best known for roles as diverse as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dallas Buyers Club, and War for the Planet of the Apes. He’s also appeared in both Stuart Little and Chicken Little – not sequels – and starred in the first series of The White Lotus.

They’re joined by Kelly McCormack (A League of Their Own) as Sheila Richey, Katy Mixon (Hell or High Water) as Jan Smith, Walton Goggins (The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey) as Earl “Peanutt” Montgomery, and David Wilson Barnes (The Bourne Legacy) as Billy Sherrill amongst others.

Who writes and directs?

George and Tammy was created by Abe Silvia, who writes four of the series’ six episodes. Silvia is best known for his work directing Dead to Me, though he also recently wrote The Eyes of Tammy Faye (which starred Chastain).

All six episodes of George and Tammy were directed by John Hillcoat, an Australian-Canadian director best known as the director of The Road. He’s also directed a number of music videos for Nick Cave, and the Black Mirror episode Crocodile.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch the trailer for George and Tammy right here.

When and how can I watch it?

George and Tammy will be available in the UK on Paramount+ from Monday 5 December. New episodes will air weekly, with the series finale arriving on Monday 9 January 2023. You can sign up for Paramount+ right here.

In the US, George and Tammy premieres a day earlier on Sunday 4 December on Showtime.

How many episodes are there?

There are six episodes to George and Tammy, each around an hour long.

Is it a true story?

Yes, it is! George Jones and Tammy Wynette were two popular country music stars in the 1960s and 70s; this series is based on the book The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George by Georgette Jones, written by their daughter.

Why should I watch George and Tammy?

It’s one to check out if you enjoy this sort of biopic drama chronicling the lives of popular musicians – both real and imaginary (A Star is Born seems a good point of comparison here).