We are well acquainted with Wes Bentley, a versatile actor whose career has been as varied as the roles he has mastered. From the shuttered windows of suburban discontent in American Beauty to the brutal arenas of The Hunger Games and the far reaches of space in Interstellar, the actor has impressed viewers with his dynamic performances.
Wait, didn’t we mention his profound portrayal of detective John Lowe in Hotel, a role that engraved his presence in our TV binges? Yet, it’s his convincing transformation into Jamie Dutton, a character grappling with power & vulnerability on the ranchlands of the hit series Yellowstone, that has truly mirrored his talent’s depth.
With a candid appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2022, he shared several anecdotes, including how his grandfather, a retired evangelical minister with strong principles, decided to opt out of the Yellowstone experience.
Yellowstone’s First Episode Failed to Struck a Chord with Wes Bentley’s Grandfather?
It’s no secret that Wes Bentley, 45, has truly immersed himself in the character of Jamie Dutton on Yellowstone. From scandalous family drama to shocking revelations, Jamie has been through the wringer on the hit Paramount Network series.
But what some may not know is the personal impact that Yellowstone’s first episode had on Bentley’s own family. During a 2022 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Bentley revealed that his grandfather, a “retired evangelical minister”, was deeply upset by the n*dity featured in the pilot episode, Daybreak. Bentley confessed:
I forgot to tell him there was n*dity in the first episode. So, he doesn’t want anymore to do with it.
It seems that even a seasoned actor like Bentley can’t avoid ruffling some feathers when it comes to family viewing preferences. The actor admitted with a laugh:
I probably should have let him know.
Around the 45-minute mark of the Daybreak episode, the series doesn’t hesitate to turn up the heat, presenting us with one of the most intimate and electrifying encounters of the entire season. The scene featured Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton, who got their flirt on bright & early.
Well, Bentley also discussed his “dark” experience of playing the son of the Dutton dynasty in Yellowstone. He told Jimmy Kimmel:
It can be fun, but it also can be very draining and tiring because it’s a lot of dark stuff. It’s tricky, because you try and play him like he’s not seeing himself that way.
Despite this rocky start, the actor has embraced the challenges of portraying Jamie Dutton with grace.
Wes Bentley Opened Up About His Personal Struggles Behind His Role in Yellowstone
For Wes Bentley, stepping into Jamie’s shoes means being brave and vulnerable, allowing himself to fully embrace the character’s tumultuous journey without reservation. And it’s this emotional availability that has allowed the actor to surprise himself with the richness and authenticity of his performance.
Bentley’s own battle with “sadness” has grounded his Yellowstone character and forced him to redraw boundaries between his personal and work lives. Last year, the actor spoke about Jamie with The New York Times:
He’s incredibly sad. I’ve always dealt with my sadness with things like comedy, or humor, or dr*gs at one point, or trying to just ignore it and finding another way out of it. But you can’t do that when you’re trying to portray someone’s sadness.
As Yellowstone gears up for its highly anticipated second part of the fifth season, fans can expect to see Jamie Dutton’s story come to a thrilling conclusion. Bentley continued:
I’ve prided myself for most of my career on leaving it at the door, or like an athlete would say, leaving it on the field. But Jamie’s sadness permeates my life, even though I’m not sad.
So, while his grandfather may have been initially put off by Beth Dutton’s scenes in Yellowstone’s first episode, there’s no denying that Bentley’s portrayal of Jamie Dutton is nothing like a cakewalk. And as Bentley continues to navigate the complex emotional landscape of his character, viewers are in for a wild ride as Yellowstone Season 5 unfolds.
Anyway, grab your cowboy hat, because the second part of Season 5 will premiere on November 10, 2024.
Stream Yellowstone on Paramount Network.
