“It Challenged Me in Every Way Possible”: Kelly Reilly Celebrates Her Role as Beth Dutton in Touching Yellowstone Finale Message

Taylor Sheridan's wildly popular neo-Western series, Yellowstone, came to its emotional conclusion on Sunday, December 15th, with the dramatic two-hour finale finding Montana's dynastic Dutton family desperately struggling to hold onto their ranch's future.

Beth Dutton, played by Kelly Reilly, has been a beloved character ever since Yellowstone began back in 2018, with Beth's charismatic, no-nonsense and multi-faceted persona earning her a slew of loyal fans. Particularly when Yellowstone's star, Kevin Costner, departed the show during Season 5, the spotlight fell more glaringly on Beth, who in many ways became the cornerstone of the series.

Shortly before the Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 finale was released, Kelly Reilly - who, to many fans’ surprise due to her flawless American accent, is British - took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message reflecting on the best part of a decade with the show.

Reilly mused, “Across the pond the finale is happening tonight of the show. Whatever the future holds this is the ending of the show we have been making for the past 7 years”.

The line “whatever the future holds” seems like a thinly veiled reference to recent reports that Kelly Reilly has signed on to co-star in an exciting new Yellowstone spin-off alongside her on-screen partner, Rip Wheeler, portrayed by Cole Hauser.

Reilly went on, “Words cannot convey how I feel about the people I got to work and create with over the seasons . I have made true life long friends . The support from the crew and the trust and dedication of the cast . The words I got to say and the woman I got to inhabit . It changed me . It lit me up . It challenged me in every way possible and I will forever be grateful for it . For Taylor Sheridan who took a chance on me and continued to write her in ways I got to feel on fire as an actor”.

Heartwarmingly, the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ actor went on to express her gratitude to Yellowstone's creator and writer, before paying tribute to everyone who's been watching, “Thank you Taylor . Thank you the audience we made it for , for being on this journey with us . We really cared about making something special for you all”.

In a series of endearing Instagram Stories since the finale, Kelly Reilly has underlined the love that remains for her fellow Yellowstone cast and crew, such as Luke Grimes (Kayce), with Reilly calling him a “brother for lie”, as well as Wes Bentley (Jamie). Despite Beth and Jamie's long-standing feud, Kelly Reilly underlined her admiration for Wes, donning him “one of the best scene partners I have ever had”.

Details surrounding Beth and Rip's forthcoming spin-off are yet to be unveiled, but in the meantime, Yellowstone fans can look forward to another offshoot, The Madison, which is expected to begin soon, and Season 2 of 1923 on February 23rd, 2025.

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