Emily From Yellowstone Is So Gorgeous In Real Life
It's hardly a secret that the fan-favorite Paramount western drama "Yellowstone" had some seriously talented men and women on the call sheet, all of whom are absolutely gorgeous in real life. From the rugged good looks of co-creator Taylor Sheridan, who played Travis, to the pure glamour displayed by Monica actor Kelsey Asbille, there's no shortage of eye candy on the Dutton Ranch. With that in mind, we absolutely must talk about Kathryn Kelly, who portrayed Emily during the latter days of "Yellowstone." But, while Kelly wasn't there for the whole ride, like some of her fellow leading ladies, she's undeniably just as stunning both onscreen and behind the scenes.
When "Yellowstone" came to an end in late 2024, Kelly offered a peek behind the curtain, sharing memories from her time on the show's set to Instagram. The post included a selfie of the actor posing alongside co-star Hassie Harrison, snapshots and videos of various cast-and-crew hangouts, and even a video of Kelly sharing a dance with stand-in actor Joshua Sunberg. "It's difficult to put into words what these last four years on 'Yellowstone' have meant to me. [...] This opportunity of a lifetime has taught me, challenged me, and helped me grow in ways I never expected. It has been a profound privilege to share the screen with such legends and work alongside an extraordinary crew," she captioned it, going on to thank Sheridan and the studio for giving her the opportunity to play Emily.
Kathryn Kelly's journey to 'Yellowstone'
Atlanta, Georgia native Kathryn Kelly joined the cast of the Montana-set "Yellowstone" during Season 4, in 2021, and stuck around through the fifth and final season of the beloved show. Prior to that, though, she spent a fair amount of time paying her Hollywood dues. Although Kelly appeared in major productions like "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and the Ice Cube-starring comedy "Fist Fight" it was in uncredited bit parts. The actor had a more substantial role in the country music-themed drama "Nashville" in 2018, but even that only lasted a few episodes. And speaking of TV shows all about country music, Kelly's final role before booking "Yellowstone" was in an episode of the Netflix series "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings" (we'll give you three guesses who the star of that show was).
As you might expect, going from mostly playing nameless characters to appearing in a starring role in one of the most popular shows on TV was a bit of an adjustment. During an appearance on Fox 5 Atlanta in November 2024, the up-and-coming actor opened up about just what her friends and family thought of her newfound notoriety. "It's been great," Kelly enthused, elaborating, "You know, it's such a phenomenon. [...] I've been working on this show since 2020, and I'm still unpacking and unraveling. You know, like, walking into Walmart and seeing 'Yellowstone' merchandise and stuff is such a wild thing. So, I'm still trying to unpack it, but everyone's so supportive and, obviously, so happy for me."