Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton has recently opened up about his struggles, both with his work and life problems prior to starring in Yellowstone. Meanwhile, fans have just watched the midseason finale of season 5 of the modern Western and are impatient for the second part of the season. Unfortunately, that is only coming at some time in the summer of 2023, but in the meanwhile, fans can catch up with some details about one of the hit show’s cast.
Wes Bentley on life before Yellowstone
Before playing the most hated character on Yellowstone, American Horror Story star, Wes Bentley had it rough. In fact, the actor who plays Jamie, John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) adopted son, spoke of his character’s sadness. In fact, he told the New York Times that Jamie’s sadness “permeates” his life, despite the fact that he is now in a good place. Moreover, he said he was at “rock bottom” prior to snagging the role.
Bentley said he has prided himself for most of his career on leaving his problems at the door while adding:
But Jamie’s sadness permeates my life, even though I’m not sad.
Stressing that Jamie is “incredibly sad,” he said he has always dealt with his sadness with things like comedy, or humor. Meanwhile, at one point, drugs helped him cope, or just trying to ignore the sadness and find a way out of it. However, he said you can’t do that when you’re trying to portray someone’s sadness, adding:
You have to let it be there. That’s been the hardest part of it all, and it’s weighed on my life a little bit.
Bentley added that his wife tells him: “You’re letting him come home now. Jamie’s coming home, and we don’t want him here.” Meanwhile, Wes, 44, stressed that he is very lucky to have a great family and be where he is in life. However, Jamie is “he’s always there behind me, clawing at that, especially when I’m shooting.
Wes Bentley’s career
The Yellowstone star got his first big break in American Beauty back in 1999 as Ricky Fitts, Kevin Spacey’s pot-dealing neighbor in the movie. At the time the movie debuted, he was 21 and seemed to have a great future. However, he became disillusioned with the roles offered him, as, “It was all vampires and underdeveloped young people.”
At the time, he found himself heading into an addiction to heroin, cocaine and alcohol. In fact, in 2008 Bentley was arrested and pleaded guilty to heroin possession and trying to pass a counterfeit $100 bill. He was quickly heading to rock bottom in his life and his career.
Along the way, the Yellowstone star took a job on a Stephen King adaptation, Dolan’s Cadillac (2009). At that stage he was planning his next steps, telling himself this was probably his last acting job. Wes was planning to be a “drug dealer and a DJ.”
Yellowstone star Wes Bentley on wanting to be better
It was around that time when he met and fell in love with associate producer and assistant director, Jacqui Swedberg. In fact, she later became his wife, but this didn’t stop him from partying. However, she made him want to be better and that he had something to live for.
A friend took the actor to 12-step meetings, where he saw that a different way of life was possible. Moreover, Bentley has now been sober since July 5, 2009. He said he has a “constant stream of energy,” which was what led him to addiction. In fact, the Yellowstone star said he needed something to react to that energy.
Meanwhile, Bentley went on to star in movies like The Hunger Games and Interstellar. However, his latest role is as Jamie Dutton in Yellowstone. Here his character has to deal with his onscreen sister, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), which is a struggle in itself.
Read the full interview on The New York Times website.
Part 2 of season 5 of Yellowstone is set to premiere sometime during the summer of 2023.
