Kelly Reilly and Wes Bentley Performed Most of Their Own Stunts in Yellowstone Fight Scenes
Kelly Reilly and Wes Bentley truly delivered in the gripping confrontation between Beth and Jamie during the Yellowstone finale.
“Of course, there are instances when we utilize their doubles, who have been with us since day one,” executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros mentioned about orchestrating the fight scene between Reilly’s and Bentley’s characters in an interview with Variety published on December 17. “They’ve studied the way the actors move, providing the necessary element for moments where someone has to hit the ground, especially since Kelly had 12 additional days of shooting, and we had to ensure nothing happened to her. Nevertheless, Kelly and Wes took on most of that fight themselves.”
In the finale aired on Sunday, December 15, viewers witnessed Beth (Reilly) initiating her attack against Jamie (Bentley) in their struggle for their family’s farm following their father’s funeral, John Dutton, portrayed by Kevin Costner. Beth used bear spray against Jamie, leading to a brutal confrontation that ultimately ended in Jamie’s demise.
“Even when they’re not physically throwing punches, maintaining that emotional intensity is incredibly taxing,” Voros elaborated. “So, what many don’t realize when watching that fight is that while it appears genuine and violent, sustaining that fierce mindset extracts a significant toll on the actors, keeping them in that emotional space.”
Voros praised Reilly, 47, and Bentley, 46, for their ability to remain composed amid the intense choreography.
“Forget about the milk, the bear spray, and the stabbing; that’s the simpler part,” she remarked. “I commend Kelly and Wes for sustaining such an extreme emotional state throughout that scene.”
After the finale of the Paramount Network series, Reilly shared a photo of herself and Bentley on set following the completion of their fight scene.
“Wes Bentley and I after that scene … One of the best scene partners I have ever had,” the actress posted on her Instagram Story on Tuesday alongside a selfie of the duo splattered with fake blood. “Love you Wes xx.”
Reilly also reflected online about the transformation her Yellowstone character has undergone since the show’s debut season in 2018.
“[Beth] has definitely evolved. In the earlier seasons, [the farm] represented too many painful memories. It haunted her,” she stated on Instagram on Sunday. “She was fiercely loyal to her father, but she carried such responsibility and guilt over her mother’s death, his wife.”
Reilly continued: “It almost became her mission to rectify things, to do this for him. She became his most dedicated soldier. As the series progressed, you witnessed her rekindle her love for the land again. She did it for him, for the land, and for a piece of her own soul.”
Following the announcement that Yellowstone would conclude with its fifth season, there have been numerous rumors about a potential spinoff featuring Reilly alongside Cole Hauser, who portrayed her romantic interest, Rip Wheeler.
“I loved this season. There were some genuinely new avenues to explore, so I’m not yearning to hold onto her,” Reilly told Town & Country in November regarding the possibility of reprising her role. “I’m content to tuck her back into her padlocked box.”
Yellowstone is available for streaming on Peacock.
