‘Yellowstone’: Kelly Reilly Defends Beth Dutton Against Infuriated Viewers Who Want to Protect Carter the Orphan
Yellowstone might have initially captured fans’ attention because it marked Kevin Costner’s return to the Western genre. The actor famously appeared in films like Silverado, Dances with Wolves, Wyatt Earp, and Open Range.
However, with Season 5 debuting in November 2022, Yellowstone fans are wholly invested in the Dutton family’s story. In particular, one scene in the Season 4 finale left them angry at star Kelly Reilly.
‘Yellowstone’ angered fans with Carter’s storyline
In a powerful moment from that episode, Beth (Reilly) lashed out at Carter (Finn Little) for simply addressing her as mom. “Morning, mama,” he says casually as he tends to the horses.
Beth stops walking through the stable that instant. “You can’t call me that,” she tells a confused Carter. After all, the bond between the two isn’t dissimilar from a parent-child relationship. When he asks why he can’t call her “mama,” Beth responds “because it’s not true.”
“I just thought ‘cause I don’t have one, you could be it,” Carter explains. “You’ve been acting like it.” “I’ve been acting like your friend, which is what I am,” Beth tells him. “You lost your mother, kid. You don’t get another. I lost mine. Same goes for me. And I’m nobody’s mother. Ever. You got it?”
Kelly Reilly speaks up about Beth Dutton’s behavior
Whether it’s Beth’s refusal to answer to “mama” or her coldly walking away from Carter’s tears as she tells him that “crying doesn’t help,” fans were less than pleased by how she handled the situation. According to TV Line, Reilly felt the intense fan reaction strongly.
“America went after me for that! I was like, ‘That’s the character, not me!’ But I get it. I wish she would [let herself be a mother to him] too. But think about it. If she’s telling this kid that she’s just met, ‘Yeah, I’ll be your mom,’ that’s not truthful to him.”
Reilly goes on to say her character is still reeling from her frustration at not being able to have a biological child of her own with husband Rip (Cole Hauser). “I hope that eventually she forgives herself because I think she’ll be even more powerful then,” Reily said, though she is eager to explore the story more first. “There’s too much fun to be had before that!”
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 debuts in November 2022
As controversial as that moment between Beth and Carter was, Yellowstone fans don’t have much longer to wait to see what happens to those characters next. After all, the Paramount Network is well on its way to producing another season of the popular Western drama.
Yellowstone Season 5 is set for release on November 13, 2022. Although Beth and Carter’s story is anyone’s guess, both characters clearly have a lot of evolution ahead of them. The question remains whether their bond will continue strengthen or suffer from the heartache Beth caused Carter in that Season 4 finale.
