The 5 Best Kelly Reilly Movies & TV Shows To Watch After Yellowstone
Though Kelly Reilly has been acting since the mid-'90s, it wasn't until she landed the role of Beth Dutton on Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western "Yellowstone" that she became a household name outside the U.K. It's no surprise really, as her abrasive and divisive character feels like Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) from "Game of Thrones" has been brought into the real world during modern times.
However, being that Reilly has a back catalog of nearly 60 other projects, fans of her performance as Beth on "Yellowstone" may be wondering if there are any other projects in her past efforts worth checking out. Unsurprisingly, there are, and though we're limited to five choices here, there are plenty of other great film and television performances to check out for those who enjoy Reilly's work.
These picks showcase a wide range of projects, including a brutal horror thriller, the second season of a popular HBO crime series, and roles in movies based on popular books. Read on for our picks on which movies and television shows featuring Reilly are worth your while.
Eden Lake is a terrifying home invasion thriller
Though there are countless shockingly violent horror films out there, "Eden Lake" stands out among them for its callousness and lack of comeuppance for its central villain. Kelly Reilly stars as Jenny, a woman who has gone on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Steve (Michael Fassbender).
Naturally, their idyllic vacation is disrupted by a violent group of local teens who engage in sociopathic acts of brutality for their own amusement. Though Steve and Jenny escape their torture and murder for a time, what was supposed to be a nice weekend soon becomes a terrifying fight for survival.
Both sides in "Eden Lake" inevitably face horrific consequences as the sadistic altercations raise the stakes between them, but it is the film's chilling ending that will likely stick with viewers long after the credits roll. Not for the faint of heart, "Eden Lake" is a film for horror buffs who can handle scenes of harrowing violence.
True Detective Season 2 is divisive but Reilly is solid in it
Season 2 of "True Detective" may be seen as the black sheep of the HBO series, but that doesn't mean that it's not worth watching. The series follows four interconnected investigations by police officers and a gangster with a personal stake in the mystery of the murder of a corrupt city manager.
Kelly Reilly plays the gangster's wife, Jordan, who is attempting to help her husband become a legitimate businessman. However, with the murder of the city manager, their plans grow increasingly awry, and the two find themselves scrambling to keep their heads above water while they search for the truth.
"True Detective" Season 2 has taken plenty of guff from "True Detective" fans, landing it an unenviable 47% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, it's worth arguing that this strong negative reaction is mainly because Season 2 fails to live up to the near perfection of the show's first season. With that in mind, fans of the show may find it worthwhile to come to their own conclusions about Season 2.
Reilly is a key part of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films
Kelly Reilly appeared in both of director Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" movies as Mary Morstan, the fiancee and later wife of John Watson (Jude Law). Though she isn't among the central leads of either the first film or its sequel, she still plays a pivotal role in both films, especially in terms of the development of Watson's character.
Fans of the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman will no doubt recall the character that Reilly is portraying, as she finally gives Watson a love interest and also serves as a foil to Holmes, whom she often resents.
The first "Sherlock Holmes" movie was well-received by critics and audiences alike and would go on to earn nearly six times its estimated $90 million budget. While the sequel wasn't quite as popular overall, both are solid takes on the famed fictional detective and worth seeing for fans of Holmes and Reilly.
Brittania is a sweeping and epic British fantasy series
Continuing on the subject of projects related to Britain, Kelly Reilly stars as Kerra in the historical fantasy series, "Brittania." Her character is one of the leads in the series' first season and is depicted as brave and honorable while also dealing out shocking degrees of violence against those who oppose her.
The series follows the battle for the fictional land of Brittania, an amalgamation of British and Celtic lore that mixes true-to-life history with more fantastical elements like psychic powers and mystical druids. Though this may be the furthest removed from "Yellowstone" of these projects, the character of Kerra in "Brittania" does share some similarities to Beth Dutton.
Both characters are strong, outspoken women who refuse to accept their place in the world, and Beth and Kerra are fiercely loyal to their fathers, no matter what happens. Furthermore, being that "Brittania" has landed itself an impressive 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, fans of Reilly and these sorts of historical dramas will likely find a lot to enjoy here.
A Haunting in Venice does justice to Agatha Christie's work
Thus far, there have been three Kenneth Branagh films based on Agatha Christie's famed detective, Hercule Poirot. The third, "A Haunting in Venice," features Kelly Reilly as Rowena Drake, the mother of a deceased child, Alicia, whom she hopes to reconnect with through the medium Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh).
Of course, Rowena's real plan is to expose Joyce as a phony who is simply preying on the grief of suffering people like herself. However, she gets more than she bargained for when Joyce speaks in Alicia's voice and declares that someone attending the séance is responsible for her death. This sets off a chain of murders in this twisty-turny mystery where nothing is as it seems.
Sweetening the pot, "A Haunting in Venice" was also well-received by audiences and critics, landing itself a 76% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Though all five projects listed above might be worth a watch for fans of the "Yellowstone" actor, the variety of movies and shows that we've selected will hopefully help Reilly devotees to find something that's worth their time.