Since 2018, Kelly Reilly has portrayed one of TV’s most beloved badasses in Beth Dutton, but as it goes with all small-screen characters whose last name isn’t “Simpson,” Beth’s Yellowstone story may soon be coming to its end when the final Season 5 episodes hit Paramount Network. Luckily, the actress has already locked down her next leading role, but it sounds like it’ll be far more stressful than an average day on the ranch.
Reilly is set to star in a new series across the pond, closer to her homeland, that will be titled Under Salt Marsh. The new show is being called a “gripping crime thriller,” and it’s set in a fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, which is located right between intimidating mountains and the sea.
What Is Kelly Reilly’s New Show About?
As Jackie Ellis, Reilly will be portraying a former detective currently making ends meet as a teacher, whose past comes back to haunt her in the most tragic way. As a massive storm forms over the waters outside of Morfa Halen, the body of an 8-year-old boy washes up, seemingly having drowned.
The boy turns out to be one of Jackie’s students, and the incident causes shock and turmoil in the small town in ways that are similar to a cold case from three years prior. At that time, Jackie’s niece Nessa went missing, and that investigation is the one that ruined the detective’s career.
Investigating the young boy’s death is Jackie’s former partner, Det. Eric Bull, who is called back to Morfa Halen years after unsuccessfully handling Nessa’s disappearance, and tensions run high. The pair come together once more to bring justice to the dead, while uncovering the town’s long-hidden secrets and skeletons as the looming storm threatens to bring a natural end to their inspections.
Under Salt Marsh is the creation of Make Up helmer Claire Oakley, who is handling co-writing duties on top of being an executive producer and lead director. Also serving as co-writers will be Jonathan Harbottle and Nikita Lalwani, with Mary Nighy stepping in to direct the third and fourth eps. Check out Oakley’s enthusiastic response to the casting news:
At the heart of it all is Jackie, a character who embodies the wildness of the place we’re depicting. She’s free-spirited, compassionate, and determined, with a steely resolve that makes her truly of the land. We’re absolutely thrilled to have Kelly Reilly bringing Jackie to life.
I’m glad to hear that Reilly’s character will be strong-willed as opposed to emotionally debilitated. But I’m still going to stress out over any plots involving dead and/or missing kids.
The series will air as a Sky Original, and will be produced by Little Door Productions, in association with Sky Studios. Filming is expected to start later this year, which likely puts it airing after the 2024 TV schedule is over with.
Will Kelly Reilly Return To The Yellowstone Franchise After Season 5?
During the long hiatus between new Yellowstone episodes, Kelly Reilly was one of several cast members expected to reprise their fan-favorite roles for a continuation series that was temporarily titled 2024. Reports later surfaced pointing to salary disputes being a possible obstacle. The actress seemed to debunk the rumors, but hasn’t ever been clear about whether Beth Dutton’s TV journey will continue or not.
Any optimism about Beth’s return was seemingly shattered recently with the confirmation that Michelle Pfeiffer will head up the sequel series, which is now going under the title Madison. Patrick J. Adams is also part of the cast, with Kurt Russell rumored to be another male lead.
Obviously there’s room for familiar characters to return and make this feel like a legitimate Yellowstone series, but with Reilly taking on a new role in a completely different show, it doesn’t look too great for Beth. That said, Under Salt Marsh is only planned as a six-episode series, so it’s possible Reilly could film scenes for Madison before making the jaunt to Wales.
Not that Kelly Reilly’s career has been revolving solely around life on the Yellowstone ranch. On the film side of things, she’s taken a shine to horror, having co-starred in 2019’s Eli, 2021’s The Cursed, and 2023’s A Haunting in Venice. On the TV side of things, she recurred in a few episodes of the French comedy series Greek Salad in 2023, but Under Salt Marsh will be her first leading TV role since she was first cast as Beth Dutton.
While waiting to see the new show, don’t forget that all of Yellowstone’s current episodes can be streamed in full with a Peacock subscription, and that the show will finally return for the back half of Season 5 in November.