Maren Morris is stepping out of her comfort zone and into the TV spotlight with her upcoming Sheriff Country cameo — and it wasn’t easy.
“I feel relieved that it’s come to a close for the day. I was really nervous,” Morris, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly after filming her guest appearance, which airs on Friday, May 15. “I’ve never acted on screen before as anyone other than myself.” (Morris previously played herself on a 2017 episode of NCIS: New Orleans.)
The musician revealed, “It’s nerve-wracking and it feels high stakes because this show is doing well. You don’t want to be the squeaky wheel or the one that brought the whole episode down.”
Morris, who plays a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) sponsor named Hazel, admitted she “didn’t sleep that well” the night before she arrived on set.
Once she filmed all her scenes, Morris told Us, “I feel very relieved and I can just relax my shoulders because I just felt really held and supported by everyone today on set.”
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The country singer noted that both the cast and crew made her “feel really welcome” and that she was “doing something right.”
“They were very encouraging after each take and just it made me feel like I was part of it,” Morris recalled.
Fans of Sheriff Country will see Morris on the show this Friday, starring as Skye Fraley’s (Amanda Arcuri) sponsor, on the “Compromised” episode.
“Sheriff Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin) aids a federal investigation into a high-stakes case involving alleged interstate crime and a web of local land deals,” the logline reads, not revealing anything about how Morris’ Hazel will fit in.
Morris, however, told Us that Hazel is “very soft and kind and compassionate, but she’s also quite stoic and no BS.”
She teased that her character has “definitely had her fair share of having her heart trampled on and trust broken. So she knows signs of red flags really quick and alarm bells really quick. So you can’t really get anything past her.”
In addition to seeing Morris act on screen, fans will get to watch her perform her original song, “Beat the Devil” as well. (The song was written for Sheriff Country and has been featured on the show’s promotional trailers.)
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Morris, for her part, teased that her scenes with Baccarin, 46, and Arcuri, 28, are what she was most proud of — and should not be missed.
“I think my two favorite [scenes] were definitely the scenes with Morena and scenes with Amanda. I think just feeling really connected to each of them in different ways,” Morris explained to Us. “In one scene, it’s like I’m buoying this mother who’s on the brink of grief and then in the next scene I’m supporting almost like a little sister.”
The “Girl” singer noted that going between Mickey and Skye has been “emotional” because she is an older sister herself.
“My mom, myself and my younger sister have a bond that feels really close and kind of parallel to the one that I felt today with those two,” Morris added.
See Morris on Sheriff Country on CBS Friday, May 15, at 8 p.m. ET.
