Wes Bentley’s Jamie Dutton is the adopted son of big cattle ranch owner John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) and wife Evelyn (Gretchen Mol). Jamie hasn’t gained approval from his adopted father despite doing many things in Yellowstone to help preserve the ranch. With all of Jamie’s trauma weighing on his shoulders, Bentley admits it can take him up to a “week” to get over some scenes.
The Yellowstone actor appeared on a Gold Derby video talking about the emotional highs and lows of showcasing “dream” role Jamie Dutton.
The actor was asked what it’s like filming the tense scenes involving his on-screen step-sister Beth, played by Kelly Reilly.
Bentley replied: “Yeah, I get thrilled on those days because either the weakness in Jamie is draining to play, you know.
“It’s like I love to play it because it’s interesting but man it takes me days sometimes a week after a scene of one of those types to shake myself out of it.”
The actor explained how he prepares for the dramatic scenes, revealing: “So I get really invigorated on the days when he’s being a super lawyer, where he’s tearing people apart in a really smarmy, clever condescending way.
“He gets his power from those moments.”
Bentley explained how the cut throat lawyer he plays in Yellowstone isn’t a true reflection of the character, saying: “It’s empty, it’s not the man he wants to be.”
This comes after Jamie’s step-sister, Beth, ends up in jail for aggravated assault during a bar fight in episode three and despite being the frequent target of his ruthless step-sister, he wrongfully fights to get her out of jail.
Bentley also revealed in an interview with the New York Times that Jamie’s sadness “permeates” his own life.
The actor recalled: “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.”
Fans will understand why Bentley can sometimes find it challenging playing Jamie as he has committed a vast amount of serious crimes during the series.
One of the more serious crimes being murder, which he committed in order to do “good” for the Dutton family.
Many fans qualify Jamie as the unluckiest character on TV as he is always trying to live up to other people’s expectations.
Jamie Dutton isn’t the only tough role Bentley has portrayed, as the actor also starred in the horror drama series American Horror Story, as an eerie ghost called Edward Mordrake.
During the time of playing his ghostly character on the horror show he looked back at when his wife said: “You’re letting him come home now. Jamie’s coming home, and we don’t want him here.”
Bentley got his big break in Oscar-winner American Beauty in 1999, but he recently revealed he turned down the role of Spider-Man in 2002, before it went to Tobey Maguire.
Bentley recently revealed the news on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Saying: “From what I understood, I had the offer – one of the offers, or first offer.
“Whether I did or not, I wasn’t gonna do it. At that time, we had come off the Batman disaster,” the actor added.