Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler’s relationship has become one of the most iconic and steadfast bonds in Yellowstone, a rare portrayal of genuine, unwavering commitment on television, where both characters just love each other with their heart and soul. Heart and soul is the right expression too, as it feels like, particularly in the wake of Kevin Costner’s departure, these two are the heart and soul of the series. In a recent interview with Collider’s Carly Lane, Yellowstone stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser opened up about how these characters have transformed from a fiery, on-and-off relationship to a “whole” and powerful partnership. Reilly and Hauser shared their own personal takes on the devotion that has pushed Beth and Rip’s journey and explained what it is that drives them as a couple.
Lane mentioned that we’ve seen the evolution of their partnership, which started off in volatile fashion as young teenagers on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, but has now become a partnership of equals, which Reilly completely agreed with.
“They’re so devoted to one another,” she said. “It’s Beth marrying… he’s the love of her life. She loved him when she was 15 years old, and he’s the only man she’s ever loved, and she trusts him. He makes her feel safe in the world. He makes her feel emotionally seen and held, and he allows her wild. He loves her wild. He enjoys her wild, and her mess, and her humanness, and vice versa.”
For Reilly, the relationship is nothing short of “wholesome,” despite the noted volatility of both characters apart from each other. She reflected on how the characters’ mutual respect and acceptance have formed a bond that is hard to find in genuine terms in television dramas, noting:
“It’s just such a joy to play a couple that are whole. There’s something really wholesome about how they dig one another, how they love one another, and I knew from the first season that Rip and Beth was gonna be a love story like no other. I knew that.”
Hauser echoed these sentiments, reflecting on the multitude of quiet, intimate moments that mark Beth and Rip’s relationship. “I was just thinking about all the different scenes that I can think of that would kind of lend to what you’re talking about. But there’s so many of them,” Hauser said, highlighting scenes of Rip simply watching Beth perform “beautiful womanly things,” like making breakfast, and the calm of them sitting on the porch or on the stairs.
Kelly Reilly Says She and Cole Hauser “Lift Each Other Up”
Beyond the scenes, the actors share a bond of trust and support that brings Rip and Beth’s story to life. Reilly expressed how much she values working with Hauser, who she feels is more than a scene partner but someone who lifts her up to be more than she is. She told Collider:
“We know each other as actors, Cole and I, but we know each other as Rip and Beth, and we help each other, we lift each other up. We’re not in competition with one another. Cole’s killing it in a scene and bringing something exciting and interesting. We have a level of trust together that’s really special and we’re just protected by really lovely writing.”
The first episode of the final season began with the couple separated—Rip is down in Texas working, while Beth is back home in Montana dealing with the aftermath of her father’s horrific death. Reilly revealed that Beth’s attachment to Rip is so strong that, while he’s away, she feels his absence profoundly.
“Beth moves me so much. Most of the time when I’m in a scene with him, there’s something about the vulnerability; she can’t bear to be without him,” Reilly explained. “He goes to Texas, and within three days she’s like, ‘When are you coming home?’ He’s like, ‘I just got here,’ and she’s like, ‘Fine, I’m on my way.’ So Beth does take a little trip to Texas.”
As Hauser put it, Beth’s need for Rip has only intensified this season, and with the absence of the Dutton patriarch, it’s fair to say the audience’s need for Rip is exactly the same: “I can probably say that this season you can’t do without him.”
Yellowstone airs on Sunday nights at 9 PM ET on Paramount.