Jana Kramer Teases Potential Role on Season 2 of 'The Hunting Wives'

Jana Kramer didn’t get her dream role on the first season of The Hunting Wives — but she might have another shot in season 2.

“I was devastated [when I didn’t get cast in season 1],” Kramer, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her new holiday film, The Christmas Ring. “The amount of times that an actor gets told no in auditions is so much. I’m used to that. But then you get that close and you get pinned for something and you test for it [but] it is between you and two other girls — when you get that call that it’s not you, it crushes you.”

Kramer had a feeling that The Hunting Wives would blow up.

“I knew it was going to be a big show,” she noted. “And there’s a lot of people too that ask, ‘Why would you want to do that show when you talk about your faith and this and that and the other?’ One of my favorite and most iconic roles was Alex Dupre on One Tree Hill because she was wild and she was crazy. I didn’t relate to her but I got to have fun.”

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She continued: “I got to step outside of [myself]. I love playing the mom in movies, but gosh do I want to go back to having some fun and really acting and having these crazy characters.”

With production yet to begin on season 2 of The Hunting Wives, Kramer said she has been in touch with the casting team. “I did get an email about a potential role. But I have to audition and see what happens,” she said. “Who knows? I know that one day it’ll hopefully be something. My goal is to get back on the show and getting that close is so so hard. but it just means I’m one step closer.”

Based on May Cobb’s novel of the same name, the show premiered on Netflix in July. Kramer subsequently took to Instagram Stories to reveal that she was close to playing Callie — a role that ultimately went to Jaime Ray Newman.

“I got pinned for it. It’s really hard in this industry to test. It’s so hard to get to that place. Even at auditions, there’s so many people that audition,” she said on her “Whine Down” podcast. “You’re on deck. You’re pinned is, like, you’re available. They want you and you’re saving those dates. You are this close to tasting it. [When I didn’t get cast on] The Hunting Wives, I cried for, like, three days. I was so upset.”

Kramer shared that The Hunting Wives wasn’t the only show she nearly booked recently.

“I had a really good feeling about this last audition [after The Hunting Wives. It would have been a huge spinoff show for me to get. I was in the mix and I got the text from my manager being like, ‘Hey, their offer is out to this person so if they don’t accept then you’re next.’ But this person is going to accept,” she recalled. “This person, I know their show just got canceled and they’re perfect for the role. I’ve been up against her a few times for things.”

Kramer continued: “It’s a great role and this is awesome for her. But it was one of those moments where I was like, ‘When will it be my turn?’ I’ve worked so hard. I want this. I want to be back on a show again and that is my dream.”

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Despite feeling discouraged, Kramer refused to give up. “I know it’s going to happen. I’m so sick of saying that [though]. Because everyone’s like, ‘You’re right there. You’re going to get it.’ I’ve been saying this for 20 years. It’s been 15 years since I’ve been off One Tree Hill,” she added. “I know people deal with this. But it’s OK for us to not be OK sometimes.”

Kramer isn’t just waiting for a role on The Hunting Wives. While speaking with Us, she discussed starring in The Christmas Ring, which is based on the novel of the same name by Karen Kingsbury. The film follows military widow Vanessa as she searches for her family’s lost Christmas ring, an heirloom from D-Day. Her journey brings her to Ben (Ben Hollingsworth), who shows her that a second chance at love might be possible.

“What I love about Christmas movies is that they have a formula down, but sometimes I wish they would have a little bit more of [the things that] Karen brought to this movie,” Kramer said. “It has conflict, it has loss, it has grief, it has hope. And she just ties it together so beautifully.”

Kramer appreciated that the film had an “element of faith” but is perfect for everyone who loves the holidays.

“It was so fun to do a Christian, faith-based [movie], and it’s also fun to have that steamy thing too,” she told Us. “And that’s what I love about The Christmas Ring and [A Cowboy Christmas Romance], because each one pushes the limits a bit. The Christmas Ring is pushing the limits with loss and grief and family connections and conflict. And [Cowboy] drew on the sexual boundaries.”

The Christmas Ring hits theaters on Thursday, November 6.