‘Yellowstone’ Star Kelly Reilly’s Forgotten Role in an Oscar-nominated Film Proves Why She’s the Perfect Casting For a Complicated Character Like Beth Dutton
Kelly Reilly wowed fans as a Jane Austen character before joining the neo-Western as the diabolical Beth Dutton
Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly was no stranger to the world of movies and television before she was catapulted to fame with the Taylor Sheridan show. Having started her career back in 1995 with a BBC children’s drama show, The Biz, she started working up to more substantial roles. She soon secured the role of the sassy and sarcastic Miss Caroline Bingley in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
A still from Pride & Prejudice
The movie gained three Oscar nominations that year – for Best Original Score, Best Art Design, and a Best Actress nod for a then 20-year-old Keira Knightley. Considered one of the best Jane Austen adaptations till date, the movie has a score of 87% on the Tomatometer. And the cast, which also included the likes of Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland, Tom Hollander, Rosamund Pike, and Judi Dench, were one of the better ensembles, who seemed like they were made for the characters written by Austen.
Kelly Reilly Walked in Pride & Prejudice So Beth Dutton Could Run in Yellowstone
Kelly Reilly in Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Kelly Reilly‘s character in the Oscar-nominated movie, Pride & Prejudice, is that of a snobbish rich girl, something she shares with her character in Yellowstone as Beth Dutton. As Caroline Bingley, she does not like it when the man she has her eyes on, becomes interested in someone else. Especially one that she considers to be beneath them on social status.
While Beth and Caroline Bingley are different from each other in some aspects, they do share some commonalities. They are both, rich, snobbish, and manipulative, and their words can cut through steel. While Caroline Bingley had to maintain pretenses, with the story being set in Regency England, Beth is not constrained by such notions. So in a way, Pride & Prejudice was like a practice run for Reilly, who smashed it with her portrayal of Beth Dutton in Yellowstone.
Taylor Sheridan Knew Right Away Kelly Reilly Was Perfect For Beth Dutton
Kelly Reilly was not sure she was the right fit to play a character like Beth Dutton. When she was given the chance, she thought she would not be able to bring such a complicated character to life the way it deserved. On the contrary, show creator Taylor Sheridan saw one tape of Reilly reading for Beth, and knew right away that it was her.
Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone
After watching her audition tape, Sheridan started calling her up to fill her in on what Beth was like, and what all she needed to know about the character to bring her to life. Reilly told Entertainment Tonight:
It is such a tremendously complicated role, I wasn’t sure if I was the right person for it. And then he would just fill my head, he would call me up at midnight and be like here is what you need to know about Beth.
Whether it is Pride & Prejudice or Yellowstone, Kelly Reilly gave stunning performances in the movie as well as the television show. Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 is currently in production and will arrive on Paramount on November 10, 2024. Previous seasons are already streaming on the platform. Pride & Prejudice is available for viewing on Starz.
