For fans of Paramount’s increasingly popular Yellowstone, the wait for the series to return this summer may feel excruciatingly long. But a break may just be the reprieve that actor Wes Bentley, who portrays Jamie Dutton in the neo-Western, needs. In a recent interview with The New York Times, the actor opened up about the personal effects of playing the tormented, adopted son of Kevin Costner’s character John Dutton. What makes the role so challenging, the actor says, is Jamie’s constant state of melancholia:
Speaking with the publication, Stephen Kay, a Yellowstone Director, and Executive Producer, commended Bentley’s portrayal of Jamie: “It’s remarkable, his ability to make you mad at Jamie, make you hate him and have him break your heart at the same time,” Kay said. Series co-creator Taylor Sheridan echoed that sentiment, saying that Bentley “has crafted a vulnerable, honest, and emotional character.”
“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. I’m very lucky to have a great family and be where I’m at in life, but he’s always there behind me, clawing at that, especially when I’m shooting.”
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Bentley disclosed that in his personal life, he always found ways to deal with sadness, whether ignoring it or turning to humor or drugs. Bentley gained popularity following his portrayal of Ricky Fitts in the Oscar-winning film American Beauty (1999). Following the film’s success, when Bentley was just 21, he began abusing drugs. In 2008, he was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and using a counterfeit $100 bill. The following year, with the help of a friend, Bentley entered a 12-step rehabilitation program. He has been sober since 2009.
Bentley has appeared in films including The Hunger Games, Interstellar, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout. On television, Bentley appeared in three seasons of the American Horror Story anthology series (Freak Show, Hotel, and Roanoke). In addition, he has portrayed Jamie Dutton since Yellowstone began in 2018.
Yellowstone, Paramount’s first scripted series, continues to gain popularity, with season 5 pulling in over 12 million viewers. It has spawned three spinoffs: 1883, 1923, and the upcoming 6666. The series is on hiatus following its mid-season finale and is scheduled to return this summer. It was created by Sheridan and John Linson and stars Kevin Costner, Bentley, Luke Grimes, Beth Reilly, Kelsey Asbille, and Cole Hauser.
