Yellowstone's Melanie Olmstead Tribute Explained

Throughout its run, "Yellowstone" has seen multiple characters killed off, even kicking things off with an unexpected death in the pilot when Lee Dutton meets his fate by the end of the episode. In other words, we've learned that series creator and writer Taylor Sheridan isn't afraid to kill off even beloved characters — as was the case with season 5, part 2's premier which contained John Dutton's highly controversial death scene.

While the deaths of fictional characters might routinely have fans up in arms, the real tragedy is that the show has lost some people connected to its production, too. The premiere of "Yellowstone" season 5, part 2 featured a tribute to bit and spur maker Billy Ray Klapper, while the season 2 finale also ended with a tribute to Melanie Olmstead. But while Klapper made a cameo appearance in the season 5 part 2 premiere, Olmstead never appeared in the series. In fact, she was never officially credited with having worked on the show in any capacity.

So, who was this mysterious figure who never appeared on camera and whose job on "Yellowstone" remains somewhat of a mystery? Here's everything we know about Melanie Olmstead and her dedication at the end of the season 2 finale.

Season 2, episode 10 "Sins of the Father" includes Melanie Olmstead's tribute, which shows up before the credits with a dedication that reads, "In memory of Melanie Olmstead 1968-2019." Olmstead's IMDb lists her first job as a location assistant for the 2000 Billy Baldwin film "Primary Suspect." But her page is otherwise full of driving credits, beginning in 2004 and running right the way through to 2020, though it's unlikely the IMDb page is an exhaustive list. Olmstead has driving credits for projects such as Ari Aster's "Hereditary" in 2018, Disney's "John Carter" in 2012, and "Wind River" in 2017 — a film written and directed by "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan.

What's more, all these films spent time shooting in Utah, a state where "Yellowstone" had shot multiple times and frequently filmed at Utah Film Studios in Park City. So, while there's no "Yellowstone" credit on her IMDb, fans can safely assume Olmstead worked on the show in some capacity. Other sites have reported that Olmstead worked as a transportation and location manager for the series but there's no official source for that and the actual credits at the end of each episode in season one and two list Morgan Asdel as the transportation coordinator for the series.

While Olmstead's involvement with "Yellowstone" and how she passed away remains a mystery, then, she clearly had a big enough impact on the series and those who make it to warrant a dedication.