Wes Bentley Reveals Surprising Impact Playing ‘Hated’ Jamie Dutton On Yellowstone’ Has Had On His Real Life

The final episodes of the fifth and final season of Yellowstone are currently airing on Paramount. Wes Bentley has been playing the nefarious character of Jamie Dutton since season one.

It’s not a lovable character, that’s for sure.

In a new interview, Bentley is opening up to reveal the surprisingly ways that playing this “hated” character has impacted his real life.

Bentley’s ‘Challenging’ Yellowstone Role

“I love challenges and, as an actor, I’ve had great challenges in my career, but I’ve never had one like this,” Bentley, 46, told Fox News. “And every scene that Taylor [Sheridan] wrote was some cathartic, emotional, you know, challenge. And I find it really rewarding to get to work on things that are difficult to achieve, and I hope I did it pretty good.”

Bentley went on to admit that he doesn’t “really identify” with any of Jamie’s characteristics. This has had a shocking impact on his “real life.”

“That’s been the most rewarding and challenging because Jamie is a character I don’t really identify well with at all and have a hard time living with, you know, he’s got a lot of baggage, a lot of heavy things to carry the load with,” Bentley explained. “And so it’s been a real challenge in my real life, but not one to complain about.”

Jamie certainly does carry a lot of baggage, and it seems no one likes him. Not even his own family.

Related: Cole Hauser Tells Fans That Their Theories About ‘Yellowstone’s’ Ending Are All Wrong

Bentley Struggles Playing ‘Hated’ Character

Last year, Bentley admitted that it isn’t easy playing the most “hated” character on Yellowstone.

“He’s incredibly sad,” Bentley said of Jamie at the time. “I’ve always dealt with my sadness with things like comedy or humor or drugs at one point, or trying to just ignore it and finding another way out of it.”

“But you can’t do that when you’re trying to portray someone’s sadness,” he added. “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.”

While Bentley typically has no problem leaving the problems of the characters he plays at the door when he’s done on set, it’s been different when it comes to Jamie.

“Jamie’s sadness permeates my life, even though I’m not sad,” he admitted. “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.”

Related: Kevin Costner Responds To Fan Outrage Over His ‘Yellowstone’ Character’s Death

Bentley Talks Kevin Costner

The first episode of the second half of Yellowstone’s final season premiered on November 10. Noticeably absent was Kevin Costner, who had played patriarch John Dutton since season one. Costner sadly declined to return to film the last episodes of Yellowstone because of scheduling conflicts with his four-part western epic movie series Horizon.

Despite Costner not returning to finish off the series, Bentley still wishes him all the best.

“He was someone great to work with, has been great to work with,” Bentley said of Costner. “But you know, in TV, that’s just the way it is. Sometimes your favorite characters, sometimes they’re gone and that’s why we have those seasons… why it goes on for years, but you know, we’re grateful for Kevin, and we’ll miss him.”

The series finale of Yellowstone airs on Sunday, December 15. Be sure to tune in to see how the saga of the Dutton family comes to an end!