← The Bobby Bones Show
The Bobby Bones Show
Kathryn Kelly on Joining Yellowstone, Life on the Ranch, and Auditioning for Taylor Sheridan
00:26:52
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- [00:00]
Ella
How did Ella bake her way to the top? It all started with one smart decision. She test drove a certified used truck from her local Ford dealer. It was inspected, backed by a Ford warranty and fit her budget. A Carfax report was the cherry on top. Soon a pinch of confidence became a truckload of ambition. Cupcakes became customers. Customers became regulars.
- [00:20]
Katherine Kelly
Hola.
- [00:21]
Ella
Turns out Ella's next great investment was herself Ford Blue Advantage used car buying that's built for you. See dealer for full program and limited warranty details.
- [00:30]
Katherine Kelly
Foreign.
- [00:39]
Bobby Bones
Yellowstone Podcast Episode 3 if you missed the first two, we had Governor Perry and Teeter on, also known as Wendy Moniz and Jen Landon. Love talking with them. On this episode we have Katherine Kelly who plays Emily on the show the Vet for the four sixes and then semi Spoiler eventually becomes Jimmy's wife. So she joined the show in season four. But she's also been on Nashville, the Resident, a few other awesome shows. The coolest thing about Kathryn was even though she wasn't all the time on every single episode, she was a big part of the show because it helped Jimmy develop and helped Jimmy be stable and put Jimmy on the right path. And we all love Jimmy. Loved talking with Katherine. Follow her on Instagram @kellyd and keep up with her and her acting career. And here we go. Big thanks to Kathryn Kelly. Katherine, thank you very much for spending a few minutes with me.
- [01:40]
Katherine Kelly
Of course. Thanks for having me.
- [01:42]
Bobby Bones
I would like for people that are watching this, I would like an explanation for the Christmas tree behind you that looks like some of the Christmas has been taken away from it. What's happening back there?
- [01:52]
Katherine Kelly
It has. My daughter asked to keep the tree and actually we were traveling a lot in December so I was like, we didn't really get the use out of it. So I took the really Christmassy stuff down and she was like, can we please have a Valentine's tree? So I put up like little ribbons and we're already Valentine's Day out fully.
- [02:10]
Bobby Bones
So will she turn it into a St Patrick's tree though then is does it continue?
- [02:15]
Katherine Kelly
It is a real tree. So like we're probably on our last limb soon. We're pushing it. It's pretty dry.
- [02:22]
Bobby Bones
Well, let's talk about Yellowstone for a second. I'm curious as to when, you know, you first get the, you know, maybe the email or the text going, hey, do you want to audition for this role? Was it an audition? How did the first communication happen regarding Yellowstone?
- [02:36]
Katherine Kelly
Yes, it was an audition. I actually hadn't watched the show at the time, my dad watched the show. So I called him because there's this thing, like, back when I worked on the show Nashville, it was like, whatever show my dad is into, that's the show I will end up working on. So I called him, and then I did the audition, I did the read, and my manager at the time was like, that wasn't it. And I was like, I know that wasn't it. I gotta do it again. So I turned back around in Atlanta traffic and then did it again. And then I think it was literally the next day that I heard back, and my agent called me and she was like, taylor Sheridan's about to call you. I was like, okay. So I quickly made a gin martini and went into my master closet because I've got a kiddo out here and was like, hey, what's up?
- [03:27]
Bobby Bones
When you say it, wasn't it and you were in Atlanta, Was the audition in Atlanta, or did you shoot it and send it off?
- [03:33]
Katherine Kelly
I was taping. I was taping with a friend, and the friend that I had taped with, I felt a little rushed. I wasn't as prepared as I wanted to be. And I was like. And it was past the deadline. We were just, like, trying to get it in, you know? And I was like, I don't think we should send this either. So I called another friend, and I ended up taping it, like, 10pm it was really late, but I was like, this has got to be right. Because I felt I loved the script and I. Yeah, I want to be a part of it, obviously.
- [04:05]
Bobby Bones
Do you live in Atlanta?
- [04:06]
Katherine Kelly
I do, yes. Yeah.
- [04:08]
Bobby Bones
Is it hard to be a working actor living in Atlanta when you have to constantly, if needed, fly to L. A or fly to wherever they're shooting?
- [04:16]
Katherine Kelly
Honestly, it's like everything's on location anyways, so I like it here, my kiddos here. We've got great neighbors. Just like the. The way how chill it is. It's nice to come home and it be so chill and kind of like fully eject, you know what I mean? And then otherwise, we're just on set and fully into work. And obviously I'll fly out for meetings and stuff.
- [04:40]
Bobby Bones
But that had always been what was not irritating for me. But I was on American Idol for four years, or I'd done different sorts of shows, but I don't live in Los Angeles, and so I live in Nashville. And so it would be like, you need to have a meeting. And it's like, man, I gotta fly all the way to freaking California to Have a meeting, something that ain't gonna happen. And so I, you know, I just wondered, as a working actor, if that came into play or. Now, are most of the auditions, at least the preliminary ones, are. Are you sending off tape of you just acting whatever role?
- [05:13]
Katherine Kelly
Yeah, it's. The first round is pretty much always tape. And then I kind of find now, too. I think it's pretty rare, which, you know, things are always shifting, but I'm pretty sure right now it's, like, pretty rare first round. If they do offer in person that you're even going to be in person with the casting director, it's probably like an assistant taping for the casting director to see. So there's not a huge advantage.
- [05:39]
Bobby Bones
Whenever you do go in or, like, old school, before COVID I felt Covid actually changed a lot, too. Like, a lot of the meetings that I'll have a prelim, they're like, where's your. They don't even do in person. So that's what they would tell me. Meaning they probably just didn't want me in person because I wasn't good enough. But I still accept that and be like, okay. But they would say, we don't even want in person the first round. So we do a big zoom. And, you know, I talk to whomever about whatever game show or whatever they're talking to me about, and then you would go out. But if you go out now, is it that the idea of you go in and there's, like, all these people that kind of look like you or that kind of could be the character and you're in a hallway with them? Did you ever have that experience where just, like, looking around and there's a lot of other versions of what they want to cast for that role?
- [06:19]
Katherine Kelly
Oh, completely. And you've got to, like, psych yourself out. You're like, got to put the blinders on. I'd, like, have my headphones in. I'm like, I'm just going to do my own thing. But, yeah, that was mostly pre Covid, and I was actually like, my dog's, like, having a time in his crate right now.
- [06:36]
Bobby Bones
Sorry. I have 100 dogs. So let it, let it.
- [06:38]
Katherine Kelly
Let it go.
- [06:38]
Bobby Bones
It's all good.
- [06:39]
Katherine Kelly
Yeah, if I have him out, he's going to be, like, fully right here. Yeah. I was out there for a pilot season right when Covid hit, and that was the most that I was in person, like, constantly. And even then it was taping, and then you're driving in person, like, within the same day. It was Wild. But, yeah, you're looking around, you're like, all right, so they. They know the type that they want. It's a bunch of us. Cool.
- [07:05]
Bobby Bones
Whenever you're recording for an audition and you're sending the tape off, are you dressing a certain way per the character you're playing, or are you kind of.
- [07:11]
Katherine Kelly
Giving it straight kind of a mix? I don't try to go, like, way too over the top, but I do want, you know, you want to feel like the character, right? And you don't want it to be, like, too modern day. If it's a period piece, you. I like to give, like, a little hint of it because I'm also not here in makeup, and I'm not going to have someone necessarily, like, helping me with all of that, but I do, like, get to lean towards that.
- [07:39]
Bobby Bones
Any chance you had on a white coat and, like, a stethoscope as you auditioning to be a veterinarian, like, how did you do that?
- [07:45]
Katherine Kelly
I had no. I actually did no makeup. Had no makeup on, and I didn't do my hair. I just, like, let it dry. And I was wearing a flannel and I think, like a tank top underneath. Just, like, very, very, very casual. And actually, during the first season that I was on, or half of it, I think, when we were filming in Texas for the first time at the Four Sixes, I didn't have anyone doing my hair at all. It was at all then.
- [08:20]
Bobby Bones
Is it purposeful? Because they're going, you wouldn't have anyone doing your hair in real life if you were this character?
- [08:26]
Katherine Kelly
I was fine with it. I did find the difficulties that I didn't think about, like, continuity and, like, we're filming in a barn right now, and, like, there's not necessarily a mirror, so I'd have to have, like, someone with costumes or something. And especially during, like, a really emotional scene, I'm like, I don't know. I can't remember if I had this tucked or not tucked. You know, like little things in my head's over here in acting world, you know. So that's where it became, like, a little difficult. But then we added a little movie magic, and my hair gradually got better with the help of the hair department.
- [09:21]
Bobby Bones
When Taylor Sheridan calls you, was it from the first audition you sent, or was it they wanted another? Like, at what point in the process did he call you and offer you the job?
- [09:31]
Katherine Kelly
It was so quick. It was from the first tape that we sent Ed, and it was like, like I said, it was definitely within 48 hours. And so we found out that, like, okay, this is happening. And then pretty soon, like, I think it was that night, I got a call from him. I'm like, okay, this is casual. Hi, how are you? How the hell are you? Taylor Sheridan. Yeah.
- [09:55]
Bobby Bones
How does he offer it to you? What does he say? Do you want the job?
- [09:58]
Katherine Kelly
I had been. I think I already had, like, the offer. Not, like financially and stuff, like the contract, but like, okay, this is, you know, what we're looking at. He mostly was like, okay. Like, it was kind of like a warning call. He was like, okay, this is going to be pretty immersive. You know, like, we do things very real and authentic. And we're going to be in Texas and it's in the middle of nowhere, and. And we're not going to have hair department there, you know, like, all this stuff. And I was like, he's like, you down with that? And I'm like, yeah, I'm good at that. Like, that's fine. I can handle that. He's like, how you did your hair in the audition and makeup, like, that was great. And I'm like, cool, I did that. So sure.
- [10:43]
Bobby Bones
And how accurate was that once you got there? Was it exactly as he said? It's just you're basically living there and doing it yourself.
- [10:50]
Katherine Kelly
Oh, completely. I mean, like, even down to, you know, my character is a vet tech. The house that Jimmy and Emily, like, are in, Emily's house, that house is a vet tech and a cowboy's house. They're married and have a baby. And, like, it is furnished by the Four Sixes ranch, and they live and work there. And, like, that's pretty much. There's a little set deck going on, but, like, it was mostly they're how it is, which is crazy. And then, like, getting up. We were staying in the Four Sixes house, like, the big house. And when we would wake up, like, cowboys would be eating breakfast in the kitchen at like 4am we'd all be just like, chilling, eating, getting ready to go out. It's. And I had no idea about any of that world really.
- [11:42]
Bobby Bones
Like, modern day, the ranch seems vast. It is obviously a massive ranch. Being there.
- [11:50]
Katherine Kelly
What was it like the first time? I wasn't fully prepared for, like, how far it is from everything. It was pretty isolating because, like, we were. We flew into, I think Amarillo. Another time, we flew into Lubbock. It's about an hour and a half of a drive from Lubbock, which. Lubbock is not a big town. And then in Guthrie, which is where the Sixes is. It's pretty much, remember what the population is. I want to say it's less than 200, but it is literally the families and people who work and live like their livelihood is the four Sixes. That's why they're there, and that's why there's a school there is for the kids of these families, like, that's it. And the grocery store is an hour away. Walmart's an hour and a half away. Closest Walmart.
- [12:45]
Bobby Bones
How long do you go away? When you first go. How many days are you on set?
- [12:48]
Katherine Kelly
I think that first one was actually. It wasn't that long. It felt really long because it was so remote. But we had gone from Montana. It was during COVID so we actually had to be out there longer than, you know, because we had to stay in the bubble and everything. So I think that's why it felt like a long time, because there was also so many days in between that normally we would get to travel home and we just kind of had to stay in this bubble. But we were in Montana for, I want to say, like, four weeks and then flew down to Texas for, like two weeks, I believe it was.
- [13:28]
Bobby Bones
When you take a role like that, and it was. You were in season four and season five. Did you know that would be the length of your role or was it. Let's just see where it takes us next season, because obviously you know what you're doing for. But you know you'd be back in five.
- [13:44]
Katherine Kelly
No, no, I hoped, obviously, and I knew that it had the potential for that. But I feel like also with Taylor, you never know. Like, someone could die or get killed off in a second, you know, it's such a crazy show. But we did do like that first time we filmed it was so special because when we went down to the Sixes, it was just Jefferson and I cast wise. That's it. And it was like it was a whole secondary crew and Taylor was directing it. And it was like this whole beautiful little mini movie, you know, it was like our scenes were put in to bits of the show, but we filmed all of that, like, as if it was this little indie movie in Texas, you know, that would be kind of.
- [14:34]
Bobby Bones
Cool to see by itself, like, isolated as that project. Like a side. Yeah, because we saw it intertwined in the show as the story developed. But how that was shot as one piece, I feel like that would be a pretty cool thing, like, to put on Paramount plus, like, you know, of Emily and Jimmy, like, has that ever Been talked about. You ever thought about that?
- [14:56]
Katherine Kelly
I mean I feel like the 46 is like spin off. Whole thing has been hinted at for like three years and I could totally see that because it is just, it really is a different world. You know, it's different like modern day ranching than Montana and Texas does have its own, you know, it's two different like subcultures. So it feels just. The whole feel of it is very different. And also like those characters, I love the way it's written. It's written so well and so natural and I feel like it's so relatable too. And it's also like one of the only like happy, mostly happy, you know, stories going on within the dramatic Yellowstone world.
- [15:45]
Bobby Bones
New characters on established shows are often tricky. Could be massive success, could be it's tough like the Office, like when Aaron shows up and she's the secretary. You're like, I don't know about this. I love this show so much and it ends up being awesome. Do you watch Feedback, you know, after the first time you're on to see if like the Yellowstone crew that, I mean not the crew but like the, the fans are like feeling you.
- [16:10]
Katherine Kelly
I think it's, it's hard not to see, you know, like on social media or whatever. I don't typically go like scrolling and deep diving but it's pretty apparent pretty quick whether majority is like love them, love her for him or they're like that, you know, whatever, not loving it. And also though you don't know how they're going to receive it. And also like I, I spoke to Taylor one time and he was like saying how he had no idea how people were going to receive Beth. And in the beginning like they were like she was too harsh, you know, and too they didn't receive her very well. And then it, as the journey progressed, she became like the favorite, you know, one of the most loved. It's like you never know he's going to, he's like, I really don't know sometimes when I write these characters how they're going to love them or hate them.
- [17:09]
Bobby Bones
Are there any written rules or unwritten rules about how much you can share from the script while you're shooting with like your friends or family or social media or is it total lockdown?
- [17:17]
Katherine Kelly
It's pretty much total lockdown. Like I try to stay like, I try to know kind of what obviously like they'll let us know like what is publicly released when it's released. And so then you're like, huh, okay, cool. Yes, we are doing that. Yes, that is happening. Or like, but before that, it's pretty tight lipped. I mean, this last season though, like, I hardly knew anything. There was very little. I knew some, like, which characters weren't going to be there anymore because I knew who I wasn't working with. You know, things like that. But for the most part, I mean, our script was. I had it printed. I love to have my script printed out and I like the tangible, like paper, you know. And at one point they printed out some of my sides and it was like I had like four or five pages that were just like black redacted mostly.
- [18:08]
Bobby Bones
I was like, well, UFO files they didn't want you to read about the aliens that are coming.
- [18:13]
Katherine Kelly
Like.
- [18:36]
Bobby Bones
Jimmy, the character, you were isolated. It was you two down at the ranch when you started working with the other actors, who was it that was super cool and super warm?
- [18:45]
Katherine Kelly
Immediately, Jen Landon for sure has. He's really warm as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She's like. I've always said, I'm like, she's everyone's favorite person. I mean like, of hair and makeup, other cast mates, like, everyone. Just like, you can't not like her. And she's so funny and she doesn't mean to be, which is the funniest part. I feel like sometimes she means to be, obviously in the show and stuff. But, like, I mean, I can't even like look at her during a scene. Like, the first time we ever shot together, I was like, oh, God, I can't even look your way.
- [19:23]
Bobby Bones
Part of that too is her character was, it's a strong character. It's loud and it's funny. It's supposed to be that. So I can see how not cracking would be difficult the first couple of times you do it, right.
- [19:35]
Katherine Kelly
Especially when she's like. I remember the first scene that I ever shot was that fight scene with my character and Eden Brolin's character. And I like look over and Jen is standing at the table and has picked up a random bag of chips. And like, this is not in the script. And she's just like, like watching. Like, like ridiculous.
- [19:57]
Bobby Bones
How are you at memorizing lines? Just in general, you have a pretty good memory and you can take it down. Or is it hard work?
- [20:03]
Katherine Kelly
I mean, I have to like dial in for sure, but I typically will, like read it, try to understand my character, what's going on, obviously. And then. But for me, I'm so like, I have to do it physically to know it, but then it's very quick for me. So, like, if I have someone running lines with me, I can get it really quick, but if I don't, like, I can't just, like, stare, stare, stare, stare. That's not gonna work for me. Or even, like, I can make myself think that I'm working with someone. Like, I've taped them up. When I don't have someone, I'm like, I'll tape it up on the wall and, like, do eyelines and, like, pretend there's people, and then that can help me, but I have to, like, block it out as if someone else is saying the other thing.
- [20:49]
Bobby Bones
What did you do in Nashville as the show? Nashville, not the city, but the same, right?
- [20:53]
Katherine Kelly
I was like, oh, I love Nashville. What. What haven't I done in Nashville? No, I. So I was on the show during the last season. The guy who played my husband on the show, he was a vet. Not like a animal vet, but, like, you know, veteran. And he had, like, ptsd, and he had a relationship with one of the main cast, and, like, not affair, but, like, you know, emotionally. Like, he kind of needed her and whatever, and I couldn't help him. And he goes through a whole suicide thing. Very, like, heavy, heavy stuff. But it was really fun to work on.
- [21:32]
Bobby Bones
Can you cry on cue if you need to?
- [21:34]
Katherine Kelly
Sometimes.
- [21:35]
Bobby Bones
Is that. Is that a natural? Just in general, with. With actors, is that something you really have to work on or. You either have that or you don't.
- [21:44]
Katherine Kelly
I kind of found. I used to, when I was younger and I was acting, and it would say, like. Then cries. Oh, God. And it really just like. Like, make me, like, have a block to it, you know, like, oh, God. Because we're supposed to get there. Because there's this expectation after this line, tears come, you know, like, that's mentally so crazy. But I let. Bro. Sorry.
- [22:12]
Bobby Bones
Tell me about your dog, though. Like, what. What kind of dog? What's the deal here? I'm a big dog guy.
- [22:18]
Katherine Kelly
He's a little scrappy shelter guy. Sometimes I'm like, brother, your shelter is showing.
- [22:24]
Bobby Bones
Oh, come on. Look at him jump right in the chair. Like, he knows what's up.
- [22:28]
Katherine Kelly
Yeah, completely. He's like, little. Mostly we think miniature schnauzer, some terrier. I kind of think, like, some bird dog tendencies going on.
- [22:38]
Bobby Bones
Have you done. Which we did on our rescue. Have you done the. Basically, it's like 23 and me, but for dogs to find out what's all in them.
- [22:45]
Katherine Kelly
I haven't, but I want to. We just got him in September for my daughter's 10th birthday, and his name's Juno. Like, Alaska. Because we actually, during filming this summer, we. When we were in Montana, we went to Canada, we went to Banff, we went to Nelson, British Columbia, and we also went to Alaska. We did a big Alaskan cruise with my family for my grandmother's birthday. So Juneau, after one of the places we were at this summer.
- [23:14]
Bobby Bones
That's pretty cool. I love Juneau. I'll give you two more questions before we go. What was your favorite part about just doing Yellowstone and being involved in the Yellowstone world?
- [23:23]
Katherine Kelly
Like I said, we started filming during COVID so it's been four years. You know, it's been a long time. There were so many different spots of it that were, like, broken up. I do think this past summer was definitely. Even though it was kind of less for my character, you know, in the show, it was my favorite personally to film because it was like. It just felt so special with everyone. Like, we all knew that this may be the last time we're all in this room. This may be the last time we're all in this room. Like, just so present with it. And it took, I think, those couple years to really process emotionally, like, how special it is to get to be a part of something so massive, like this phenomenon. Like, there's merch in Walmart, you know, there's hot sauces. And, like, it's so.
- [24:21]
Bobby Bones
Well.
- [24:21]
Katherine Kelly
And you're like, oh, that's. That's my job, huh? So, like, this summer, definitely. And then, like, also, it's funny because Montana is so beautiful and I love being there so much, but. And, like, I miss Montana, but, like, it'll never be what it was when we were all there because it was like, we'd finish up filming and we'd all go to the saloon and play pool, or we'd all. You know, now that saloon probably has four people in it. Not the 30 people that we all know. I don't know, it just. It really, like, hit me how special every moment was this summer.
- [25:00]
Bobby Bones
And to conclude the Yellowstone questions, I'm not saying anyone would come out of the woodwork to be like, I wasn't nice to you in high school, but now I'm like, oh, wow, Catherine's on tv. You're my best friend. Not saying that, but a version of that where maybe there were people that maybe just kind of lost touch with, but you still liked, but that you hadn't heard from in a while, and they would, like, see you, and they go, I just freaking saw you. On Yellowstone. Did that happen at all?
- [25:26]
Katherine Kelly
Oh, all the time. Yeah. And at first I'm like, huh? Like, you wouldn't be saying hey to me otherwise. And then you're like, you know, you're like, you didn't ask me to hang out before. But, you know, it's like you're on people's minds. And I think it comes from such a pure place. You know, people being like, I'm proud to, like, I'm a part of that somehow through her.
- [25:50]
Bobby Bones
That's fun. Thank you for hanging out. You guys. Follow Katherine at catkellied on Instagram and I will be doing that thing where I'm watching a show and hopefully in the future I'll see you in. And I go, I know her from something. And then be like, oh, it's Yellowstone.
- [26:04]
Katherine Kelly
Yeah. And you'll be like, let's hang out. And I'll be like, yeah.
- [26:08]
Bobby Bones
And bring Juno. That's it.
- [26:09]
Katherine Kelly
Yes.
- [26:10]
Bobby Bones
Congratulations.
- [26:11]
Katherine Kelly
Thank you.
- [26:13]
Bobby Bones
Rooting for you. I hope you have a ton of success and really appreciate the time today.
- [26:16]
Katherine Kelly
Kathryn, thank you so much.
- [26:24]
Bobby Bones
The Yellowstone official podcast, hosted by me, Bobby Bones, and brought to you by iheartmedia Podcasts and MTV Entertainment Studios. Big shout out to executive producers Jason Reed, Lindsey Hoffman, Carl Cadle and Kevin O'Connell. Also our senior manager of podcast marketing, Ali Kanner Graber, for keeping the word out. And of course, a big thanks to Will Pearson, president of iHeartMedia podcast, for him supporting this show. We've also got special thanks going out to Whitney Baxter, Xavier Afri, Barbara Pareda, Emily Curry and Joe Flattery. You guys make this happen. This podcast is produced in association with 101 Studios over there, executive producer Scott Stone and director of podcast development and production, Danielle Waxman. We also got to give a big nod to Michelle Newman, David Glasser, and David Hutkin for their support. Thank you guys for tuning in. See you next week.