Yellowstone Premiere: Kelly Reilly reflects on Beth’s relationship with Jamie and her dealings with Rip

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details from Sunday’s season 5 premiere yellowstone

yellowstone returned to Paramount on Sunday with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) as governor and worried that his absence from home could have a negative impact on the farm he loves so much. Here, star Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) talks about her character’s unwavering devotion to her father, her relationship with brother Jamie (Wes Bentley), and how fans can’t get enough of Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser).

Reporter Let’s start with this calm look on stage between Beth and Jamie. what happened there?

KELLY REILLY Yeah, kind of like two tigers, isn’t it? I mean, she tells him, “You’re in my prison now.” How Beth and Jamie are together in the pack feels a bit like the early days and now they are both with their father who becomes governor and Jamie has to play in Beth’s world. And she said to him: You will do as he asks you. And it goes against every fiber in Jamie’s body to do what he is asked to do. Is it bad? He is like a prisoner in this family, and I think Beth will remind him of that at every opportunity in her most eloquent way.

John took a long time to speak at his inauguration ceremony. He doesn’t really want to be there, does he? But neither did Beth, right?

REILLY No, not at all. They are both incredibly reluctant to be there. I don’t think any of them have any importance in this world. But, and this is a big problem, Beth, like John, understands that it is necessary for airport construction to close. And the only way to force real change is for him to become governor. Seeing John and Beth in that position of power, maybe hurled into it, is not their way of playing. They are dirty in the way they do business and now they have to go and fix things. It’s kind of nice to see that Beth can’t quite do it.

I have a feeling we’ll find out, maybe Jamie is is the best man for the office and that all his warnings will be correct.

REILLY This is an interesting theory. Every character on this show seems to have very different angles. From another angle, Jamie was absolutely in league with his father, and with the hit he had to kill his real father (Will Patton). and Kill Beth and Casey. So yes, depending on which angle you want to look at it, you are absolutely right. I think the great thing about writing is that both arguments are presented and the audience is left to make a choice. What’s so great is when we all disagree.

Why was it so important to show that flashback with Beth and Rip when they were young?

REILLY I think Beth is very haunted by her past and it seems to bother her a lot this season, which I really enjoyed because you see a side of Beth that understands the consequences. Usually she doesn’t. She is fearless and ruthless. But with Rip, I think she understands her behavior. I think she gives herself a really hard time when it comes to people she loves. I think she feels things incredibly deeply and feels that she has wronged him. I think it haunts her.

She still seems to have so much anger in her. Rip told Beth that she needed someone to fight with. Does it matter she needs it

REILLY I think there is some truth to that. I don’t think she knows any other way. She had to fight all her life and I think it’s in her DNA. I don’t think she spends too much time on welfare and thinking about how to live peacefully or happily when she is busy with her mission to save her father’s farm. I always ask myself, why does she feel she has to do this? It feels like some kind of penance she is inflicting on herself for taking his wife away from her. And with this horrible accident, I think she carries an enormous amount of shame, guilt and responsibility. And so it’s almost as if she’s devoted her life to serving him and making him happy.

People seem so invested in Rip and Beth’s relationship.

REILLY Yes, people really like these two characters. You never know when you’re going to start working on something. I like what’s written, and so does Cole. Together we just realized that what we had was pretty much gold dust with the way it was written. And then it just got deeper and there was more going on in people’s heads and it was about these two, Rip and Beth. It’s fascinating to watch and fun and surprising. It’s such a beautiful love story between these two very broken, supposedly tough characters who have a place where they can be vulnerable and show sides of themselves that they can’t show anywhere else. And there is so much romance.

The moment he stands on the hill and comments that Rome is burning. Is that a red flag for where you’re going this season? What does John miss on the farm?

REILLY Yes, I think it is really in danger. And can we stop the fire? I mean it’s already on. That’s one of the things about filming in Montana, every summer there are fires everywhere and it just feels like nature has that kind of menacing quality. We are worried that the whole farm will be turned into a cement town, people will take over and it’s all about money and that way of life will be lost. But there seems to be another force of nature, literally a force of nature coming their way. Beth doesn’t know, and I think she’s worried if it’s a symbol like you said, or if it’s a real threat. Threats come from all corners this year.

What will happen to the grown son Carter (Finn Little). Will we see much more between him and Beth this season?

REILLY You see a lot more of Carter and you see how he perceives the world he’s in. Beth has been quite busy this year. There are some nice moments between us, but I think Taylor Sheridan saves Carter and Beth’s relationship. I think things like that really take time with her. I don’t think she can help him. I think she sees Rip in him. I think she sees a kid who has nothing and she wants to help him, but I don’t think she’s trying to be his mother.

How do you feel when the show goes back on air? Does the hype get you?

REILLY I am now based in London and I am completely immersed in the role I play and the work I do now. I think they’re still here in season three, so it’s a very different experience. But you know, you can’t help but see it on social media. I try not to look too much because it can be a little overwhelming, but I feel it, I feel it. And when I’m back home in America, where I live, I feel it a lot more. I feel so built up. I get a lot of messages from friends and people who are just really looking forward to the new season. So I wish I was there. I wish I was there to experience it. With Covid we couldn’t do premieres or shows. And now of course all year round and I can’t be there because I’m at work. But it’s always exciting to work really hard on something and then let it go.