As loose cannon Beth Dutton on “Yellowstone,” Kelly Reilly gets to do and say things that the average person may not normally have the courage to execute. It’s a role Reilly says is “brilliantly written,” and one that she admits is “a bit of a fantasy.”
“There’s not a line that she says that I don’t love,” Reilly told Looper during an exclusive interview. “But there is definitely an aspect of fantasy when I read her, like, I wish I could have a bit of Beth in me to be able to say some of those things. So, to be able to do that with all those great lines, it’s just so satisfying. I love her so much. She feels very real to me. It’s equal parts fun and deeply challenging and terrifying to play her sometimes.”
The hit series, which is currently airing its fourth season on the Paramount Network, follows the Dutton family, led by John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the largest ranch in the United States. And while the series also stars Luke Grimes and Wes Bentley as brothers Kayce and Jamie Dutton, respectively, there’s something about Reilly’s portrayal of only-daughter Beth that always seems to stand out. While it’s a role that she cherishes, Reilly also revealed during the interview that it’s a character she never wants to rehash.
Kelly Reilly has turned down ‘badly written Beths’
While Reilly has an extensive acting resume that includes starring in the Robert Downey Jr.-led “Sherlock Holmes” films and on Season 2 of “True Detective,” her biggest role to date is arguably as Beth on “Yellowstone.” It’s a character that, in just four seasons, has quickly come to define her.
In fact, she admits, she has turned down numerous roles that would have her recycling Beth for less prestigious projects. “I’m inundated with very feisty, strong, violent-type women [roles],” says Reilly. “And I don’t want to play that again, those badly written Beths. So, I stay away from them and instead look for the next role that takes me into different waters.”
What is Reilly’s perfect part after the standard that “Yellowstone” has set? “I never know until I read it,” she says. “All I know is that when you’re playing one type of character, you’re kind of looking for something that is different and fresh. I just want to keep myself engaged and excited about the work I’m doing.” Until then, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the roller-coaster ride that is Beth Dutton on “Yellowstone.”