As rumors of a Yellowstone spinoff continue to run rampant, Kelly Reilly is preparing to say goodbye to Beth Dutton — but will it be for good?
“I loved this season. There were some really different territories to explore, so I’m not clinging to her,” Reilly, 47, told Town and Country on Monday, November 18. “I’m happy to put her back in her padlocked box.”
Reilly, however, wouldn’t mind getting to spend more time with Beth, with T&C noting that Reilly thinks the idea of a new show is tempting. “I am definitely interested in Beth, and who she is after some things have happened,” she said. “Who is she in peace? As an actor you’re like, ‘Ooh, let me at that.’ Wouldn’t it be fun to watch Beth go to therapy?”
Yellowstone, which premiered on Paramount in 2018, follows the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. Many viewers came for Kevin Costner‘s portrayal of family patriarch John Dutton but stayed for the show’s other leads including Reilly, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham, Cole Hauser and Kelsey Asbille.
A Guide to ‘Yellowstone’ and Its Many Spinoffs
“I remember reading [the script for the pilot] as I was packing up our apartment and thinking, ‘Oh, s—. It was like laying down a bit of a gauntlet. The challenge of it pepped my interest,” Reilly recalled on Monday about her subsequent phone call with showrunner Taylor Sheridan that got her the part. “I didn’t even audition. Then I was like, ‘F—, I didn’t audition.’ I was terrified, because I didn’t know how I was going to do it. And it took me a minute to find her.”
The actress acknowledged that there were ups and downs with playing a character such as Beth.
“I love gearing up to play her, because there’s an adrenaline to Beth and it’s very energizing. But it’s also incredibly gnarly,” she noted. “I have to hide all of me away to put some of that on. I love her, but I can’t live with her.”
Reilly has loved getting the opportunity to play a complicated woman, saying, “It’s not just about playing strong, capable women. That’s missing the point. Male characters can be messy, but they can still be heroic. Full spectrum. And I think there is a bravery to embracing shadow. How can you be an honest person if you don’t own some of your darkness?”
What the ‘Yellowstone’ Cast Has Said About Delays, Kevin Costner Drama
Yellowstone returned earlier this month after a lengthy hiatus that was plagued with rumors about Costner’s status with the show. News broke in 2023 that he would not be returning and in the season 5B premiere, John was killed off. While it appeared the character died by suicide, it was actually a set-up by Jamie (Bentley) and Sarah (Dawn Olivieri).
“I’m going to be perfectly honest. I didn’t know it was actually airing last night. That’s a swear-to-God moment. I’ve been seeing ads with my face all over the place and I’m thinking, ‘Gee, I’m not in that one.’ But I didn’t realize yesterday was the thing,” Costner said on SiriusXM’s The Michael Smerconish program. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.”
While Costner has moved on from the Yellowstone universe, Reilly isn’t quite ready to say goodbye yet. She reflected on what playing Beth has taught her along the way, adding on Tuesday, “It’s a fantasy. But as in all fantasies, there is a little 10 percent that you can distill and inhabit. It shifts the energy a bit. How you own yourself, how you feel about yourself, I have definitely gotten more backbone in my life because of Beth. I didn’t know I could walk into a room and do that. I’m less afraid of a room.”
Yellowstone airs on Paramount Network Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
