Kelly Reilly has opened up about the tumultuous conclusion to hit series Yellowstone, which was marred by reports of conflict between creator Taylor Sheridan and actor Kevin Costner.
Reilly, 48, starred as Beth Dutton, the daughter of Costner’s character, John Dutton, in the contemporary western about a family fighting to preserve their sprawling Montana cattle ranch.
The Paramount show was cancelled after its fifth season, amid rumours that Costner – who dramatically quit in 2023 – had clashed with Sheridan.
The final season was controversial, with fan complaints over multiple character deaths that drew negative comparisons to HBO’s blockbuster fantasy series Game of Thrones.
British actor Reilly, who received critical praise for her performance as Beth, told The Sunday Times that it was “a shame it ended that way, but it did”.
“[If] we were just having a beer, I could share more,” she said. “But yes, it was only supposed to go on for five years… It was successful… A life of its own.”
She continued: “I’m just picking my words, because I’ve never really talked about it. A lot went on behind the scenes that had nothing to do with me; I was just waiting. ‘When are we going back to work?’”
Reilly will return to her character of Beth in new series The Dutton Ranch – also starring Annette Bening and Ed Harris – which will pick up a year after the events of the final series of Yellowstone.
“This is a different era – I had hit my quota of the younger Beth,” she said, pointing out that people were “very critical” of her character at the start.
“Because she is unapologetic, out there, flawed, damaged and brave,” she said. “Women are always asked to play strong role model types, while men can play the gnarliest characters and get away with it.”
Initially titled Beth & Rip, The Dutton Ranch will follow Beth and her partner, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), as they guard their land from external forces and raise the troubled Carter, their unofficially adopted son.
“Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler are grateful for the peace they sought, fought and nearly died for with their 7,000-acre Dutton Ranch,” the official synopsis reads.
“With tough times and stiff competition, Beth and Rip do what they must to survive, all while ensuring Carter becomes the man he’s supposed to be.”
Sheridan was reported to have left Paramount last year after signing a lucrative new deal at NBC Universal.
Along with The Dutton Ranch, he created miniseries 1883, which gave fans insight into how the Dutton family came to own the land that would become Yellowstone. Meanwhile,1923 was about a newer generation of Duttons living against the backdrop of the Great Depression, and starred Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
Yet another spin-off, The Madison – starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell – is scheduled for release on 14 March. The Dutton Ranch is expected to air later this year.
Meanwhile, Reilly is also known for her roles in films such as the 2005 period drama Pride & Prejudice, horror thriller Eden Lake, and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films with Robert Downey Jr and Martin Freeman.
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