“Women won’t like her”: Kelly Reilly Was Nearly Made to “Tone Down” Beth Dutton’s Fire-Breathing Siren in Yellowstone

HBO Exec's demands, including toning down the character of Beth, is what led to Taylor Sheridan shifting to Paramount

kelly reilly was nearly made to “tone down” beth dutton’s fire-breathing siren in yellowstone

SUMMARY

  • Before making his way to Paramount, Taylor Sheridan had pitched his hit show, Yellowstone to the HBO executives
  • The executives had too many demands and changes for the show, including toning down Beth as a character, which the creator did not like
  • The character of Beth is now liked by many for her fearless nature, unlike the beliefs of HBO execs
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The fiery nature of Beth Dutton in the popular television series Yellowstone, played by Kelly Reilly, was nearly forced to be subdued since the public would not have approved of her portrayal. Show’s director Taylor Sheridan stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he was contacted by HBO and pressed on her matter; to which he openly rejected and encouraged her acting style.

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American neo-Western drama television series Yellowstone was directed by Taylor Sheridan for the Paramount Network. The series follows the Dutton family, a mega ranching family in Montana who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The show has been a ratings hit for the Paramount Network and has received many accolades for its writing, directing, and acting.

Yellowstone
Yellowstone

Also read: Taylor Sheridan’s OG Idea for Yellowstone Could’ve Avoided Kevin Costner Drama That Broke the Show

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HBO Nearly Made Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton Tone Down in Yellowstone

Taylor Sheridan, the director of the famous neo-Western drama TV show Yellowstone claimed during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he was contacted by the HBO execs to tone down Kelly Reilly‘s Beth Dutton. Dutton had a complex and multifaceted character who was very often described as abrasive, intelligent, and fierce. She became one of the most loved characters in the show during the second season of the show.

“‘We think she’s too abrasive. We want to tone her down. Women won’t like her.’ They were wrong, because Beth says the quiet part out loud every time. When someone’s rude to you in a restaurant, or cuts you off in the parking lot, Beth says the thing you wish you’d said.

So I said to them, ‘OK, everybody done? Who on this call is responsible for a scripted show that you guys have on the air? Oh, you’re not? Thanks.’ And I hung up. They never called back.”

Sheridan had a negative experience pitching his show to HBO executives. The executives wanted him to make big adjustments because they were critical of Sheridan’s story and characters. The execs’ criticism infuriated Sheridan that he hung up on them and declined to carry on with the talk.

Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone. | Paramount

Also read: “I thought we were going to do one long movie”: Before All the Yellowstone Drama, Kevin Costner Had Plans to Refuse Taylor Sheridan Series Due to an Absurd Assumption

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This experience convinced Sheridan that HBO was not the right place for his show, and he ultimately took it to Paramount Network, where it has become a huge success. However, Beth Dutton is a fascinating and multifaceted figure who is frequently misinterpreted, but those who put in the time to get to know her will find her intelligent, compassionate, and deeply loyal.

Rajdeep Majumder

Written by Rajdeep Majumder

Articles Published: 675

On top of all things music and pop culture, Rajdeep has a vested interest in the world of film and television. As a dedicated writer, he stays informed about the day-to-day happenings in Hollywood as well as the world of manga. Currently, Rajdeep has accumulated more than 600 published articles on FandomWire under his byline. Looking ahead, he can envision himself leaving a mark in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving world of entertainment journalism.