When Kelly Reilly discovered acting at age 14, it was a life-changing moment for the English performer. The Yellowstone actress struggled to fit in, as much as she did with her academics until she was nudged to take up drama for GCSE. This was after she impressed her drama teacher with an improvisation at Tolworth Girls’ School in Kingston, Greater London. The Chessington, London, native got hooked on acting and has since built a robust resume with delightful performances, from the stage to the screens.
One of two children born to a police officer and a hospital receptionist, Kelly Reilly’s parents weren’t keen to encourage their daughter’s passion for drama. Though concerned because of the unstable nature of the profession, there was no stopping Reilly. She had found where she belonged and wouldn’t entertain any doubts about her decision. “They knew I was very strong-willed and would do exactly what I wanted anyway,” the actress told The Telegraph. In retrospect, Reilly’s determination to pursue acting was well-grounded.
Kelly Reilly Debuted In The Mid-90s And Gained Recognition In The Early 2000s
The English actress debuted in 1995 when she appeared as Laura in BBC’s The Biz, a children’s drama series. Kelly Reilly pulled off her first speaking role that same year. She wrote multiple letters to Prime Suspect’s casting director, begging for auditions. After several rejections, she was given a chance, which led to her Polly Henry role in Prime Suspect: Inner Circles and Prime Suspect: The Scent of Darkness. The 1995 telefilms paved the way for Reilly to perform on stage, earning her the attention she needed to push her career forward.
Kelly Reilly’s performance on Prime Suspect gained the attention of Terry Johnson, a British dramatist and director. He offered her a role in his production of Elton John’s Glasses (1997) at the Watford Palace Theatre. She performed in several theater productions in the years that followed. These include The London Cuckolds (1998), Three Sisters (1999), The Graduate (2000), Thee Yalte Game (2001), and A Prayer for Owen Meany: On Faith (2002).
Kelly Reilly’s breakthrough came in 2003 with her performance as Miss Julie in Michael Grandage’s After Miss Julie at the Donmar Warehouse, London. The role saw her become the youngest actress ever nominated for Laurence Oliver’s Best Actress award. She was also nominated in the same category for the Evening Standard Theatre awards. These recognitions took her career to a greater height as she gained the mainstream clout that facilitated her emergence as a movie star.
International Breakthrough And Big-Screen Success
Kelly Reilly’s career gained momentum in the mid-2000s with several film roles that introduced her to a global audience. In 2004, she played Jane, alongside Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton, and John Malkovich in Laurence Dunmore’s The Libertine. Although the biographical drama flopped at the box office, Reilly’s performance was well-received. This trend continued the following year when she played Maureen in another biographical film — Stephen Frears’ Mrs Henderson Presents.
Her brilliance in the movie based on the life of Laura Henderson was recognized with a nomination for Best Supporting Actor/Actress from the British Independent Film Award. She also won the London Critics Circle Film Awards for British Newcomer of the Year (2006), and the Empire Award in the same category, which was also for her role in Pride & Prejudice. Kelly Reilly portrayed Caroline Bingley in the 2005 romantic drama film based on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel of the same title. In addition to playing Wendy in Russian Dolls, these roles earned Kelly Reilly the Cannes Film Festival’s Female Revelation award (2005).
Yellowstone Is A Career-Defining TV Role For Kelly Reilly
As Beth Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, the English actress has secured a new career milestone as a TV star. Before the neo-Western drama series, Reilly had portrayed diverse characters on multiple telefilms. In addition to those, she starred in ITV’s Above Suspicion, ABC’s Black Box, HBO’s True Detective, and Britannia. None of these roles measure up to the success she has achieved with her fascinating character on Yellowstone.
Regarded as her breakthrough on the small screen, Kelly Reilly’s performance has received widespread acclaim. The role has earned multiple nominations for coveted awards, including the Gracie Allen Award. She bagged the prestigious award in 2023 for being an Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role – Drama. Check out the top 10 must-watch Kelly Reilly performances.
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