Minka Kelly Says Boyfriend Dan Reynolds Helped Her Master the Piano for Ransom Canyon

Minka Kelly had an unexpected advantage when she took on her role in Netflix’s Western drama Ransom Canyon: her boyfriend, Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds.

The actress revealed that Reynolds played an important part in helping her prepare for one of the more challenging aspects of her character, Quinn. For the series, Kelly was required to perform several songs on the piano, despite having little experience with reading music.

During an April 22 appearance on Today with Jenna & Friends, Kelly opened up about the preparation that went into her role and explained how Reynolds helped her learn the music she needed for the show.

Kelly said she had to learn three different songs for the series. Because she cannot read traditional sheet music, learning the pieces presented a significant challenge. Fortunately, Reynolds was able to help her break down the songs and understand how they should be played.

“He helped me a lot,” Kelly explained while discussing the three songs she was required to learn.

At home, Reynolds would essentially translate the music for her, showing her how to play the notes rather than relying on written musical notation.

Kelly explained that Reynolds would demonstrate what needed to be played, allowing her to learn by watching and repeating what he showed her.

“He would show me how it’s done,” she said, describing how useful his musical background was during her preparation.

Reynolds’ help was particularly valuable because music is a major part of his professional life. As the lead vocalist of Imagine Dragons, he has spent years performing, writing and recording music. Although Kelly was taking on a completely different kind of performance by portraying a pianist, having an experienced musician at home gave her an extra resource during the process.

Still, Reynolds was not the only person who helped Kelly become comfortable at the piano.

While filming the series in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the actress also worked with a piano instructor. She explained that she practiced the songs repeatedly until the movements became familiar.

“I had a piano teacher in Albuquerque,” Kelly said, adding that she would play the pieces “over and over and over again.”

Her intense practice apparently paid off. Even after production wrapped, Kelly said she could still play all three songs that she had learned specifically for the show.

The actress told Jenna Bush Hager that the music stayed with her because she had spent so much time practicing.

For Kelly, learning to play the piano was more than simply memorizing a few notes for a television scene. She needed to make the performances look convincing on camera while also portraying Quinn as a character who is comfortable with the instrument.

In Ransom Canyon, Kelly plays Quinn, a woman whose personal and professional journey becomes increasingly complicated as the story develops. Her musical abilities are an important part of the character, making Kelly’s preparation especially significant.

Interestingly, Reynolds’ involvement with the series did not stop at helping Kelly practice at home. The musician eventually became part of the show himself.

Reynolds made a guest appearance in the first season of Ransom Canyon, taking on the role of Billy Brinks. His appearance came about after he visited Kelly while she was working on the series.

According to Kelly, the cast and crew immediately responded positively to Reynolds.

She previously told PEOPLE that the producers and writers quickly became fond of him after he visited the set. In her words, people naturally liked Reynolds because of his personality.

Kelly said that he is simply the kind of person who is easy to like, making his transition from visiting the set to appearing in front of the cameras seem almost effortless.

The opportunity reportedly came together after members of the production asked Kelly whether she thought Reynolds might be interested in playing a character on the show.

“They asked one day, ‘Do you think he’d play this character?’” Kelly recalled.

Rather than making the decision for him, she said she would ask Reynolds directly. He agreed to participate and was willing to take on the challenge, despite having considerably more experience performing music than acting.

Kelly described him as a good sport who was enthusiastic about giving the role a try.

However, there was one surprising part of the experience: Reynolds was nervous.

For someone who regularly performs in front of thousands of people, appearing on stage might seem far more intimidating than acting in a television drama. Yet Kelly said Reynolds unexpectedly felt nervous when he had to film his scene.

She found his anxiety amusing because of his extensive experience as a performer.

Kelly recalled essentially wondering how someone who is accustomed to performing for huge audiences could feel nervous about appearing on a television set.

But she also understood that acting requires a different set of skills and places performers in an unfamiliar environment.

The scene Reynolds filmed also featured Josh Duhamel and Eoin Macken, giving the musician an opportunity to work alongside established actors.

Duhamel, who stars in the series, later praised Reynolds’ performance and described him as a good person who did an excellent job.

“He’s a good dude,” Duhamel told PEOPLE. “He did a great job, he really did.”

Duhamel also explained why Reynolds may have felt uncomfortable despite his extensive experience as a performer.

According to the actor, walking into a new professional environment can be intimidating, particularly when someone is accustomed to being in control of their usual setting.

Duhamel pointed out that Reynolds normally performs as a musician, while acting requires a person to step into an entirely different world.

There is a psychological difference between watching cameras from the outside and suddenly having those cameras focused on you while you are expected to deliver a performance as a character.

Duhamel suggested that this transition can be frightening, even for someone as experienced as Reynolds.

The singer’s involvement in Ransom Canyon therefore created an unusual connection between Kelly’s personal life and her work. Not only did Reynolds help his girlfriend prepare for her role, but he also became a small part of the series himself.

Their relationship has attracted attention because of the way the two have supported each other professionally and personally. Kelly and Reynolds have been romantically linked since 2022, and their connection has occasionally intersected with their careers.

For Kelly, having a musician at home proved especially helpful when she faced the challenge of learning piano for television.

Although she initially could not read music, she managed to master the required songs through a combination of Reynolds’ guidance, professional piano lessons and extensive repetition.

The experience also appears to have left her with a lasting new skill. Even after finishing the production, Kelly said she was still able to play the songs she had learned.

Meanwhile, Reynolds demonstrated that being a successful musician does not necessarily eliminate nerves when stepping into unfamiliar territory. His appearance on Ransom Canyon allowed viewers to see a different side of the Imagine Dragons frontman, while his behind-the-scenes support gave Kelly an important boost during her preparation.

Ultimately, the experience brought their professional and personal lives together in an unusual way. Reynolds helped Kelly become more confident at the piano, and she later helped introduce him to the world of scripted television.

Their collaboration may have been brief, but it added a memorable personal connection to Kelly’s experience on Ransom Canyon.