Yellowstone: Kelly Reilly doesn’t always agree on Taylor Sheridan’s vision
By Shay McBryde
Yellowstone’s hell-on-wheels superstar who plays the infamous Beth Dutton, Kelly Reilly is opening up about her disagreements with co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
Though there seems to be no bad blood between them, Reilly had admitted that she hasn’t always agreed with Sheridan’s vision in Yellowstone. As part of one of the special features on the season 5 part 1 Blu-ray and DVD, Kelly admits that the two have not always seen eye to eye regarding her characters' stories.
Sheridan has his own vision that sways from what she pictured in her mind. Nonetheless, I’ve never had many complaints about Beth, she is still just as awesome as she’s ever been.
"“I’m coming to it almost the same as the audience. I mean I have my hopes and thoughts for the character. Also, as I’ve played her for over five years now, I feel like I know her so well but I’m learning.”"
- Kelly Reilly
Taylor Sheridan has of course always had his own vision and way of seeing that world and it’s what makes him such a phenomenal storyteller. Any actress or actor who takes their work seriously connected with the character they’ve played for years.
Admittedly there have been times in the last couple of seasons Beth had become a little soft and too unsure of herself. She has a habit of constantly thinking Rip will leave her when the audience knows the only way he would is through his death.
"“There are still things that I read and didn’t expect, or sometimes I wish for something else for her, but that’s the same as the audience. We’re all sort of beholden to the vision of the storyteller and we serve the story. Who knows what’s going to happen? I find that exciting as an actor.”"
- Kelly Reilly
It’s hard to please everyone in a show as huge as this one and this is certainly not the first time Sheridan has butted heads with his actors. I do hope he will give Beth Dutton an ending befitting of the remarkable woman she is.
Will there be a happy ending? It’s really hard to say with Yellowstone. We know there’s a high probability she will lose her father, who has remained her biggest influence most of her life. She does have Rip and they are the powerhouse couple of their series, and there is also Carter who became like their adopted son. The tools are there to give her a happy ending but how much turmoil she will go through to get there remains to be seen.
In another clip, Reilly gives even more insight into Beth’s state of mind. She is always on guard and almost ready for Rip to leave her. Everyone knows Beth has a less-than-clean and classy past. Is there anything that would mark the end of the line for the love of her life?
"“Beth is haunted by her past. She has a lot of regrets and she has a lot of secrets that he doesn’t know. So there is something that is under the surface that will one day, I’m sure come, and she’s probably certain that she will lose him.”"
- Kelly Reilly
I believe that’s a common fear for Beth to have, but I do think they have come so far and are now married that any mistakes of the past won’t matter. Rip too has done a lot of things for the ranch that Beth doesn’t know about. Though they lived in two entirely different worlds and their mistakes aren’t comparable they each had to do things they aren’t proud of.
The growth Rip and Beth have had from season one is almost mind-blowing looking back. They are each other's safe harbor and I can’t imagine them being ripped apart now. It will be a while before Sheridan puts the rest of the puzzle together but if you need your Yellowstone fill CBS will be airing the series in its entirety this September. A little football and Yellowstone to cap off the evening sounds like paradise to us!