If you pay attention to the tributes shown throughout the Yellowstone series, you might be curious about who these people are. During the finale of Yellowstone season 2, a person named Melanie Olmstead received a tribute, making viewers wonder who she is and her involvement with the show.
Since she isn’t part of the cast, fans quickly became curious about her. Some even jumped on social media to try and dig up information about the mystery person. So, we’ve compiled some facts about Melanie Olmstead and answers as to why she received a tribute from the Yellowstone series.
So Who is Melanie Olmstead from Yellowstone?
Melanie Olmstead was the Yellowstone series’s location and transportation manager. She got involved with the Yellowstone team because of her extensive knowledge of filming locations and her love for animals. She quickly became a valued member of the Yellowstone production team because of her knowledge of the ranching and conservation industry.
Melanie was born in 1968. Her foster parents, Reid Howard and Janet Corbridge, adopted and raised her in Salt Lake City, Utah. There, Melanie developed her passion and love for animals, especially horses.
According to Melanie, her love affair with horses started when she was young, but it wasn’t until adulthood that she got the first horse that she could truly say she “owned.”
The name of her beloved horse is Mahogany, and she has been with her ever since college. They had plenty of happy times until Mahogany passed away when she reached the age of 40, which is estimated to be equivalent to 110 years for humans.
A Glimpse at Melanie’s Career
RIP
— Lord Reags of Oz (@lord_reags) October 10, 2022
Horse & Conservation
Lover
Melanie Olmstead
1968-2019 pic.twitter.com/b59o71RnBy
Since 2000, Melanie Olmstead has worked in the location and transportation managerial department for movies such as John Carter, Joe Bell, Wind River, Frozen, Wild Horses, Primary Suspect, and Hereditary. She also provided the same services on three TV shows: Andi Mack, Yellowstone, and Snatchers.
People who know Melanie also remember her as a charitable person with a big heart. Before finding work in the film industry in 2000, Melanie spent time in Africa, working on education initiatives for women.
Did Melanie Olmstead Pass Away?
Melanie Olmstead lost her life on May 2019 at age 50. Reports say it was due to complications from cancer.
Although Yellowstone viewers didn’t know who she was, they deduced that she had recently passed away because of the Yellowstone title card tribute. In light of that, many of the show’s fans worldwide took to social media to express their support and condolences to her family and co-workers.
To celebrate Melanie’s accomplishments and life, her family and friends gathered for a horseback ride on July 30, 2019. Various horsewomen, writers, and artists came to the event to honor her.
Melanie was a valued member of the Yellowstone production and Salt Lake City communities. On top of all that, she was a dedicated wife and mother of three. All the people who know and love her will truly feel her loss.
What Happened to Melanie Olmstead in Yellowstone?
Melanie Olmstead didn’t play a character in Yellowstone. However, even if she didn’t appear on screen, the show featured her name during season 2. As a tribute to her life and contributions to the show, Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone’s creator, wrote Melanie into the series as a woman who’s gone missing.
During the episode where the show featured her name, Kayce Dutton gathers information about a missing woman named Melanie Olmstead. Kayce did that after witnessing the death of Jamie Munson, the woman’s boyfriend, that got killed by the people protecting their land. Sadly, despite his best efforts, Kayce could not find details about what had happened to her.
Despite not appearing in the show, Melanie Olmstead worked hard behind the scenes, ensuring everything ran smoothly. Having lived in Utah all her life, she was the perfect location manager for parts of the show they filmed in the state.
It’s nice and humbling to see a popular TV show like Yellowstone pay tribute to these wonderful people. It truly shows the generous side of Taylor Sheridan and his desire to honor people that have made great contributions to the western film and music industry.
With season 2‘s tribute card and the episode where her name got featured, Melanie Olmstead will now forever be a part of the Yellowstone universe.
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