Are Yellowstone's Kevin Costner & Kelly Reilly Close In Real Life? What Their Bond Is Really Like

"Yellowstone" follows, among other storylines, the bond between loyal daughter Beth Dutton, played by Kelly Reilly, and her father, John Dutton, portrayed by Kevin Costner. These two characters share many intense emotional moments, and have a complex yet close relationship on-screen.
For instance, during Beth's last-minute wedding to Rip Wheeler, John couldn't help but express his dislike of Beth's head-turning wedding dress. Still, he was the only family member who accompanied her, and he even walked her down the aisle. Their bond is powerful. Costars Reilly and Costner emulate this closeness, although with much less complication.

"He's honestly one of the nicest, most generous actors I've worked with," Reilly explained in an interview with Looper in 2021. "We get on so well and we have this real fun relationship. So, yeah, I mean, it's pretty wonderful." It appears to have been a mutual respect. Someone reportedly close to Costner talked to Life & Style about his relationship with Reilly, saying that they "had a great rapport on set and shared many scenes that seemed to bring them closer as actors, and they continue to bond."

Costner has been acting for decades, and it sounds like Reilly was able to draw inspiration from his work. "I really respect him as an actor and the work he's doing," Reilly told Looper. "I just love what he does. I could watch him all day. I'm learning a lot from him."

Kelly Reilly isn't one of Kevin Costner's seven kids, but it sounds like Reilly's love and respect for Costner is echoed onscreen with the father-daughter relationship between Beth Dutton and John Dutton. As Reilly explained to Gold Derby in 2022: "Kevin and I have now been working together so closely for five years. I love him so much, and as Beth ... I think that number one central relationship in her life is with her father ... I think all Beth wants to do is make him happy."

As those who have watched the show know, Beth and John don't always agree on the best ways to go about most things, and so, it can get heated between them. In an interview with "Good Morning America" in 2022, Reilly and Costner were asked about how they handle intense scenes between them. Reilly replied, "we take care of one another ... I feel like he takes care of me, and we're players on a team."

Reilly called Costner's controversial exit from "Yellowstone" a "shame," according to The Times. The actress didn't get too wrapped up in the drama of Costner's exit — least publicly, with Life & Style's source indicating that, behind the scenes, Reilly was on the actors' side. Reilly confirmed that she keeps in touch with her onscreen dad after he left the show, with one caveat: "We sent messages," Reilly told the Times, "but I mean, it's Kevin Costner! We move in very different circles."