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How Does ‘Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly Transform into Beth Dutton? ‘Light a Cigarette and Just Go For It’

How does one go from a kind-hearted British actress to an absolutely ruthless Montana heiress? Ask Yellowstone‘s Kelly Reilly.

When it comes to Yellowstone, ABC News’ Good Morning America is playing catch-up. Citing Variety‘s naming as “one of the most influential shows on television” and Kevin Costner as the only notable member of the cast, their Tuesday morning segment on television’s #1 show feels a bit behind.

Speaking to the show’s indomitable leads, GMA correspondent Janai Norman says she was “just as fascinated with Kelly Reilly” as she was Oscar-winner Costner. Which is good, considering Reilly pilots one of the best characters in television history, Beth Dutton.

And if you’re as familiar with Kelly as you are Beth, then you know these two women couldn’t be more different. Reilly hails from Chessington, England. She’s “very British,” according to on-screen sibling Luke Grimes (Kayce Dutton), and calls The Big Apple – NYC – home. All a far cry from Montana’s most ruthless and hard-edged daughter.

So how does Kelly Reilly transform into Yellowstone‘s “tornado,” Beth Dutton?

“Hike my skirt up, drive a bit fast, light a cigarette and just go for it,” Reilly grins through her English brogue.

“It’s a thrill ride. She’s an animal,” she adds of Beth. “I feel very blessed that I have such a challenging, dynamic, incredibly alive character with these wonderful lines.”

That blessing extends to audiences, which can’t get enough of Beth’s brash crusades. Season 4 upped the ante all around for the only Dutton daughter, having Reilly’s force-of-nature take on everything from organized protesters and the fiercest landsharks in Montana, to marriage and motherhood simultaneously.

But to Beth Dutton, that’s just another year in the life. “She’s unmanageable,” laughs Kevin Costner. “She’s just unmanageable and everybody wants to be Beth!”

“I’m glad you made that distinction that Beth is unmanageable,” Reilly retorts mid-segment.

“Oh I’m not the only one who’s made that distinction,” Costner grins. “The whole world goes, ‘She’s unmanageable!’”

Even off-screen, these two are electric. They feed off one another; each seasoned actor radiating with love, respect, and positivity for the other.

“We take care of one another,” Reilly adds of their relationship on set. “That’s the thing I feel most. I feel like he takes care of me. We’re players on a team. We’re on the same side.”

‘Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly: Kevin Costner Gets Better With Age

And when it comes down to it, “You’re only as good as the other actors that you’re in a scene with,” Reilly added in a recent interview with The Wrap of her iconic co-star.

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Yellowstone: Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton, Kevin Costner as John Dutton. (Photo Credit: Yellowstone Gallery, Paramount Network Press Center, Viacom)

“Kevin is just so charismatic, and he can just break your heart with his stillness. He’s got such a weight to him now as he’s older,” she continues. “I love just seeing the lines on his face.”

Expect a few more well-earned lines on each actor when they return for what’s sure to be an intense Yellowstone Season 5 this November 13.