Cast members of the smash-hit series “Yellowstone” have broken their silence on awards snubs.
Ever since the Kevin Costner rancher family saga premiered in 2018 on Paramount+, it’s been a hit with audiences – but Hollywood hasn’t agreed, giving it little to no love with major nominations.
Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton, told the Daily Mail, “I personally don’t think awards validate anything. It’s an honor, as they say, but as far as it saying whether we are doing something good or not, that’s not what that is.
“Many, many shows don’t get that recognition that deserve it, and many do get it that don’t deserve it,” he went on. “It’s just the matter of opinion of each particular academy. I know we are a success because the people are watching it.”
“Yellowstone” follows a powerful family that includes patriarch John Dutton (Costner); his sons, Jamie (Bentley) and Kayce (Luke Grimes); and daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly), who preside over the largest contiguous US ranch. They routinely clash with a local Native American Reservation, land developers and other rivals.
The Season 4 finale drew a staggering 9.3 million viewers. And yet, the series has only garnered an Emmy nomination for production design in 2021 — and no Golden Globe nominations to date. The show has been compared to “Succession,” but notably it’s set in middle America.
Gil Birmingham, who plays tribal chairman Thomas Rainwater, told the Daily Mail, “Hollywood is a fickle beast. I think that it’s more important that we have captured the hearts and minds of the audience and our fans.”
The success of “Yellowstone” has turned co-creator Taylor Sheridan, 52, into a TV kingmaker. He’s presiding over a slew of star-studded prequel and spinoff series, including “1883,” starring Sam Elliott and Tim McGraw, and the upcoming “1923,” starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
Season 5 of “Yellowstone,” which premieres Sunday, will follow John Dutton as he becomes the governor of Montana.
Jefferson White, who stars as Jimmy Hurdstrom, said, “I hope this season does get awards because I love these actors, and I think they are doing amazing work. I hope that other people recognize that, but also it really is true that the fans’ response to it is the recognition that these actors deserve, and we are so lucky to have that.”