Dutton Ranch‘s Natalie Alyn Lind is aware that her character, Oreana, has Yellowstone fans divided.
“I love playing a character that’s loved and hated,” Lind, 26, exclusively told Us Weekly during a joint interview with Finn Little. “I love seeing the fan responses.”
The actress has enjoyed the varied reaction, adding, “There’s something that I giggle about every time that somebody really hates my character because then I’m doing my job right. Because my character is not supposed to be a lovable character necessarily. She’s supposed to create a conversation which has been happening and that’s the best thing in my opinion.”
While not everyone has understood Oreana’s intentions, Lind was thrilled about the challenge.
“That’s been the most exciting part about playing her and that’s what I wanted to do while filming the show,” she shared. “I think that she’s a character with a ton of levels.”
Lind is hoping to learn more about Oreana in future seasons. “The Duttons have been seen for so many years that hopefully with more seasons to come, you’re going to start finding out more about her background,” she teased. “When we started the show, they sat us down and had a conversation about where they came from.”
She continued: “There’s a lot more that has not been seen or told about Oreana that I’m really excited for people to find out. That might explain some of it — not all of it. The behavior sometimes is not redeemable but I think that some parts of her will still, people will look back and be like, ‘Oh, that’s why.’”
Yellowstone viewers met Oreana through her romance with Carter (Little), who grew up on the Paramount Network show. When the franchise expanded with Dutton Ranch, Carter was back — but this time as a high school student preparing for adulthood.
Carter’s first relationship has crashed and burned so far after Oreana took a step back from their romance in the most recent episode of the show.
“Oreana has had a little bit more experience in the whole dating scene. This being Carter’s first love, you do fall head over heels the first time,” Little, 20, exclusively told Us. “I’m not sure if that was what Oreana was expecting but that’s what happened.”
Lind, meanwhile, came to her character’s defense.
“She is the type where her childhood feels like it was taken away from her,” the actress noted. “She’s always been put into a box and told where she has to go to college or what she has to do. Being with Carter has given her her youth back in a way and there’s something whimsical and magical about that.”
Lind continued: “She feels like a kid when she’s around him but she also acts like a child. I think that Carter’s character is a lot more mature than Oreana is at most times and he has a much more level head. But he’s a grounding force. So it’s funny to see a character that is technically older acting like a child with a character that’s younger that acts like he’s — at times — 80 years old.”
