Grammy winner Lainey Wilson is set to make her feature film acting debut in Universal’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller “Reminders of Him.”
Wilson joins a cast that includes Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford and Nicholas Duvernay.
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The country superstar already has a relationship with Universal after she contributed the original song “Out of Oklahoma” to last year’s blockbuster “Twisters.” The track was nominated for multiple awards, including by the Guild of Music Supervisors and the Society of Composers and Lyricists. The full soundtrack, which went No. 1 on the Billboard country charts, was also nominated for a Grammy.
To note, this isn’t Wilson’s first time acting. She appeared in a recurring role on “Yellowstone,” playing Abby, a musician, beginning in Season 5. Taylor Sheridan created the role specifically for Wilson after the smash hit series first began featuring her music in Season 2. Wilson, who was also honored as Variety’s Hitmakers Storyteller of the Year in 2024, is represented by Alex Sera, WME, Mandelyn Monchick, Red Light Management, Sacks & Co.
Vanessa Caswill is set to direct “Reminders of Him.” Hoover wrote the screenplay with Lauren Levine; the pair is also producing the film through their production company, Heartbones Entertainment. Gina Matthews is producing through her Little Engine Productions. Robin Fisichella is executive producing. Director of production development Christine Sun will oversee the project for the studio.
Described as a “transformative feature film about motherhood, forgiveness and the power of one love to heal even the most shattered heart,” the story follows Kenna Rowan (Monroe), who returns to her hometown after serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake. She hopes to reconnect with her young daughter, though everyone is intent on keeping them apart. Only one person in the area hasn’t shunned her, and that’s the local bar owner Ledger Ward (Withers), who becomes an important part of Kenna’s life. Pankow plays Scotty Landry, who was Kenna’s first love and her daughter’s late father.
The “Reminders of Him” novel, published in 2022, has sold over 6.5 million copies globally and has been translated into 45 languages. Universal emerged victorious in a bidding war for book rights and plans to release the movie in theaters on Feb. 13, 2026, ahead of Valentine’s Day.
“Reminders of Him” is one among a number of adaptations of Hoover’s bestsellers that’s in the works: her bestseller “It Ends With Us” was adapted into a hit movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, which grossed $344 million worldwide. The Sony film, directed by Baldoni, was hugely profitable against its $25 million budget. Next up is “Verity,” starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett for Amazon MGM Studios. The psychological thriller will be released wide in theaters on May 15, 2026.
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