Perhaps unsurprisingly, Yellowstone already put up what’ll likely be some of the biggest non-NFL ratings numbers for 2023 with its highly anticipated midseason finale, which drew in over 10 million live viewers across Paramount Network and CMT. While that episode definitely got fans talking about the latest stage of Beth and Jamie’s sibling rivalry, a rather subdued moment from the previous episode also sparked a response within the fandom, by way of the western drama’s first same-sex kiss. Star Lilli Kay did not expect Clara’s first on-screen smooch to earn the attention that it did, though, as she explained how the moment came to be (and why that episode’s director likely wasn’t so comfortable).
As John Dutton’s ever-learning assistant Clara, Lilli Kay hasn’t yet factored so heavily into the overarching plot, but she does appear to be destined for big moments. Or more big moments, I should say, since the bombshell-filled episode “The Dream Is Not Me” featured Clara locking lips with another woman ahead of John and Summer following suit. Even though it didn’t get much time in the spotlight, the kiss apparently got fans talking, as Kay discussed when sharing some behind-the-scenes info about the impromptu choice with Deadline. In her words:
I’ll tell you something about that. We were in our Covid protocol. It was written that Clara is making out with someone in the background behind John and Summer. And we were trying to figure out who was easy and comfortable [to cast] who was also in the testing cycle. My partner, Juli Kocemba, was there with me in Montana so they said, ‘oh, let’s just have you guys make out in the background.’ My partner’s non-binary, so were like, ‘well it’s a gender fluid make out in the background.’ We thought, nobody’s gonna make a big a big deal about it. And then a lot of people made a very big deal about it. . . . It was very funny because I did not expect anyone to even really catch it. And then people were like, lesbians on the range!
Luckily for Kay, the casting choices for her scene partner were limited due to COVID restrictions, making her real-life significant other the best option, which presumably limited any awkwardness that might have come up with someone the actress wasn’t familiar with. Not that things can’t get awkward for real-life couples, of course. But more on that a little lower down.
Due to its background nature, not to mention Kevin Costner and Piper Perabo arguably being a more recognizably eye-grabbing pair, Clara’s kiss wasn’t expected to garner much of a reaction among fans, at least in Lilli Kay’s mind. But considering just how many people watch Yellowstone on a weekly basis, it’d probably be weirder for ANY details on this show to go unnoticed, much less something involving romance. So here’s hoping all of the reactions that she received were of a positive nature, with any negative comments welcome to head to the train station.
Though Kay isn’t extremely active on Instagram on a regular basis, her most recent post was indeed one of her and Juli Kocemba, as seen below.
What some fans may also be surprised to learn is that Lilli Kay is the daughter of frequent Yellowstone director Steven Kay, who also helmed the feature Get Carter and a slew of other noteworthy TV eps, including some of Taylor Sheridan’s work on Sons of Anarchy. He’s been married to Piper Perabo since 2014, so Kay’s fictional boss is faux-dating her real-life step-mom. As such, the actress said her pops wasn’t exactly waltzing down Normal Street when directing both of those kisses for the same sequence. Here’s how she put it:
I’m not really sure. My father was the director. He was really wonderful and great. It was also the most awkward day for him at work, directing his wife kissing Kevin Costner and his daughter making out with her partner.
I have to think despite whatever was happening in front of the camera, directing a Yellowstone story in the wide open and gorgeous Montana expanses is likely still a treat. And whether or not Steven Kay is the one helming things, here's hoping fans get to see more from Clara's personal life as Season 5 continues, so long as it doesn't play into my long-con theory.
Yellowstone’s winter hiatus will sadly last all throughout the spring, as Paramount Network revealed it will return for the remaining episodes this summer. But that just gives everyone with a Paramount+ subscription more time to catch up on the prequel spinoff 1923, as well as Sheridan’s other dramas Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown ahead of its Season 2 premiere.
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