Why LeAnn Rimes Was 'Terrified' To Film 9-1-1: Nashville's Snakes On A Plane Episode

When LeAnn Rimes first heard that "9-1-1: Nashville" was doing an homage to the 2006 movie "Snakes on a Plane," and that it would heavily involve her character, she immediately texted showrunner Rashad Raisani.

"I was a bit concerned about myself," Rimes tells TVLine. "I hate snakes. I'm terrified of snakes. I literally had recurring snake dreams as a child, so it hit a pain point for me. I've also never done anything like this before. I've never done any action stuff, not to this capacity. You just have to throw yourself into it, believing that everything is really happening. We had a couple of plastic stakes on the plane, but for the most part, it's you and your imagination, so I just went with it."

Looking back on the experience, Rimes wonders if her initial fear turned out to be a secret weapon. "I actually think I had a leg up in this episode because my imagination was running wild," she says. "That [fear] actually worked to my benefit in a lot of ways."

And who better to help her out than someone who was there when "Snakes on a Plane" was made? Tommy Lohmann, who currently serves as the director of photography for "9-1-1: Nashville," worked on the original movie as a camera operator.

"He was teaching me, and I learned so much in this episode about movement and action," Rimes says. "He was guiding the whole thing, so it was fun to have someone who actually did the film working on this episode. I don't think our dialogue was as explicit [as the movie], but I have gone back and watched some clips of it. I need to watch it now for sure."

As revealed in this week's episode, the snakes are smuggled onto the flight by Pharaoh. With an assist from Cammie, who formally meets Dixie over the phone, the pilot and passengers are able to fend off the snakes long enough for the plane to land. It's a rough landing, but Dixie makes the situation a little more bearable for her fellow passengers by serenading them with "Amazing Grace," which Rimes feels is eerily perfect for the occasion.

"I fly all the time for my job, and I have thought many a time about how I would soothe myself if anything ever went down, and that would be the song," she says. "So when they brought that to me to sing, I was like, 'Oh yeah, I would love to do that,' because I've done it. I've thought about it so many times. That was a very real moment that has gone through my mind many, many times."

Of course, none of this would have happened if Rogue had been on the flight. We all know he deals with snakes:

Like the glamorous cockroach that she is, Dixie makes it out of the ordeal unscathed. In fact, the little boy whom she (begrudgingly) befriends on the flight turns out to be the son of country superstar Russell Dickerson. The grateful father offers to repay Dixie, which is how she winds up performing at his concert. Not only does she choose to perform her "Lady B" diss track, but she event takes the opportunity to publicly reveal the mystery woman's identity. Watching from home on her laptop, Blythe concedes to Dixie's victory with a "well played."

So, will Dixie come to regret this egregious breach of contract? "I guess you'll have to see," LeAnn Rimes tells TVLine, adding that Dixie and Blythe's "relationship kind of takes some twists and turns" this season. "I love the way Blythe's like 'Well played,' because what are you going to do after that? Dixie knows how to play the game when opportunities fall in her lap. I think Blythe also sees that in her and respects it, it's even though it's pointed at her."

According to Rimes, the show has "buttoned off" the Lady B drama for now, "but where we go from here is going to be interesting," she teases.

OK, let's talk: Did you enjoy the show's "Snakes on a Plane" homage? Were you surprised when Cammie's new boss (the legendary Camryn Manheim) turned out to be an enemy? And what do you think will happen now that Dixie has revealed Blythe's secret identity? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.