Can there be a Yellowstone without the formidable Bethany ‘Beth’ Dutton, portrayed by Kelly Reilly, opposite Kevin Costner? It’s a rhetorical question that resonates among the minds of fans who have watched her breathe life into Beth with such magnificent depth & complexity from the very beginning.
Definitely, Reilly’s portrayal of Beth Dutton is more than just a performance; it is a tour de force that mirrors her immense talent and has unquestionably helped cement Yellowstone as one of TV’s most bewitching drama series. So, if anyone needs to be afraid of getting kicked off the ranch, it wouldn’t be her.
Having said that, it was during the harrowing season 3 “cliffhanger moment” that Reilly faced her own moment of uncertainty, initially fearing that series creator Taylor Sheridan might have been writing her final scenes.
The Scene that Had Kelly Reilly Worried About Her Future in Yellowstone
Indeed, Kelly Reilly’s portrayal of Beth Dutton in Yellowstone is nothing short of phenomenal. From the very start of the series, the Chessington-born actress, 46, has taken the character and turned her into an absolute powerhouse, stealing scenes and leaving viewers wanting more.
However, in the season 3 finale, she found herself fearing for her role in the Yellowstone cast, as the actress received a script with an “explosion” scene, leading her to believe that Taylor Sheridan was trying to kill her off for good. In an interview with Elle, Reilly admitted that she asked Sheridan if her character was going to make it through the explosion, as every actor fears being fired at some point in their career:
When I got the script for the explosion, of course, I asked [Taylor Sheridan] the question: ‘Is she going to make it? Are you trying to tell me something?’
Thankfully, Sheridan assured Reilly that it was just a cliffhanger moment and that Beth Dutton would survive. She managed to survive the attack, as did the other members of the Dutton family. The actress further added:
I think every actor thinks they’re going to get fired. Everybody always thinks it’s their last shot at it, and they’ll never work again. But, no, everyone was very honest from the get-go, saying, ‘No, no, no. Taylor just wanted everyone to think that they all died.’ He wanted that cliffhanger moment.
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Surprisingly, the finale of the third season did not feature any Dutton deaths; instead, the fact that they all survived the attacks was shocking. This season of Yellowstone was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Kevin Costner’s John Dutton getting shot, Kayce (Luke Grimes) facing his own danger, and Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and Tate (Brecken Merrill) fighting for their lives.
The Dutton family tree looked like it was going to be severely pruned. But in the end, they all pulled through!
Kelly Reilly’s Disdain for a Key Element of Her Yellowstone Character
Kelly Reilly was not totally at ease with one aspect of Beth Dutton’s role, despite the actress frequently expressing her admiration for the character and her journey in Yellowstone. Certainly, it is her character’s smoking addiction.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reilly was forthright about her vision for the role in the show and shared her thoughts about how she saw the character developing, particularly in relation to her smoking habit. She acknowledged that she felt anxious about filming the scenes where people smoke on screen:
I don’t smoke, so all of those cigarettes are herbal cigarettes.
Despite how unpleasant it made her feel, showrunner Taylor Sheridan was unwilling to let go of that particular habit. Reilly further confessed:
I’m trying to pitch him an idea of that she gets addicted to Nicotine. But I don’t know if that’s entertaining… I don’t know if that’s what we want to see from her.
Even so, the actress continued to be upbeat about the future of her role while ironically hoping that Beth would have given up the smoking habit by then.
While the season 3 finale may have left us gasping for breath, the resolution may have let some viewers down. Nonetheless, the fact that Beth Dutton will be returning for the forthcoming episodes is a relief for fans, and we can’t wait to see what twists & turns await the Dutton family!
Yellowstone Season 2, Part 2, will be released on November 10, 2024.