Wes Bentley has swept Yellowstone fans away over the last five seasons with his brooding and intense portrayal of Jamie Dutton, the complicated, quiet Dutton sibling.
Paramount's popular neo-Western Yellowstone follows the Dutton family in Montana, led by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the largest ranch in the nation. Through government scandals, murder and other shocking twists, Yellowstone trails the family as it defends its ranch from attacks by land developers and Native American reservations. This modern take on the new frontier shows a family forced to face revenge, greed and betrayal while stopping at nothing to hold on to power.
The family, or the show's gritty drama, would not be some of the most gripping television without the oldest son, Jamie. His dark and tumultuous journey throughout the show has many fans involved in a hate-love relationship with the character. And, Jamie's spicy and jaw-dropping spars with his sister, Beth, as well as his on-again-off-again love life, often leave us speechless.
Inside Wes Bentley's Love Life
Despite his character's tumultuous and toxic love affairs on screen, Bentley has actually been happily married for more than a decade. However, he keeps his personal life very personal. While Bentley has shared a few details about his marriage in various interviews, not much is known about his wife, Jacqui Swedberg, or their love life. Neither have social media profiles and prefer to keep their family life out of the limelight. But here's what we do know.
Bentley was actually married previously. He married his first wife, actress Jennifer Quanz, in 2001. While the young pair seemed happy and in love for a number of years, Bentley got caught up in the glamour of Hollywood. He quickly rose to fame after securing the role of Ricky Fitts in the '90s drama American Beauty in his early 20s. After growing up in Arkansas, Bentley said he was swept away by celebrity life and became addicted to heroin and cocaine.
"All the stuff I had no idea about in Arkansas," Bentley told Independent in 2014, referring to his drug abuse. "In a way, it made me a little more prone to it. It was like looking behind the curtain. And I went behind the curtain and hung out."
In part, Bentley blames his decades-long battle with addiction for ending his first marriage. He and Quanz separated around 2006 and officially divorced three years later.
Wes Bentley's Wife, Jacqui Swedberg
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Not long after their divorce was finalized, Bentley married producer and director Swedberg in 2010 after dating for approximately two years.
Behind the camera, Swedberg has also worked in the entertainment industry for years. She is known for her work on a television comedy series called Corner Gas as well as for her role as assistant director on Lullaby for Pi (2010), Sleepwalking (2008) and Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story (2006).
Bentley told George Stroumboulopoulos in an interview that he met Swedberg while shooting a film called Dolan's Cadillac (2009) in Regina, Canada. A mutual friend invited them both to an Iron Maiden concert, despite Bentley saying he only knew one of their songs. According to Bentley, he fell in love that night to "Run To The Hills."
"I just knew that I'd never met someone like her," Bentley told Elle in 2013. "I love that she's unexpected. You can't ever predict what she'll say next."
After the end of a long relationship and his ongoing battle with substance abuse, Bentley told People in 2011 that when meeting Swedberg, he "started to feel hope again."
Bentley's Wife Helped Him Through His Battle With Addiction
However, Bentley's struggle with addiction continued to rear its ugly head even after getting hitched. He tried a 12-step program that stuck for a short time before he relapsed again. Finally, with the support and encouragement from Swedberg, Bentley was able to get sober once and for all.
"I've gotten through it because of my wife," he told Elle. "Through her, I thought, 'There's so much more to life.'"
Over the years, Bentley has talked openly in various interviews and a documentary called My Big Break (2009) about his substance addiction and his multiple attempts to get sober.
"I'm not shy because I'm not ashamed," Bentley told The Guardian in 2016. "Shame is partly what kept me in that space. Once I could shake that off and not be ashamed of it, it's allowed me to be free of it in a way."
Fatherhood and Family Life
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Shortly after the pair said their vows, Bentley and Swedberg welcomed a son named Charles into their lives in 2010.
In an interview with NextMovie, Bentley said he was nervous about becoming a father and worried it would affect his craft.
"I decided quickly — I said, 'I'm gonna be a great father, and if I struggle as an artist, that's fine,'" Bentley said. "But I've found that actually, [fatherhood] has really made me a better actor, a better artist. It's given me more tools and more life."
In 2014, the couple introduced another child into their lives, a girl named Brooklyn. The pair is so successful at keeping their lives a secret that the public didn't even realize they became parents again until four months after Brooklyn was born.
"She's also very smart, a great writer and an amazing mother," Bentley said of Swedberg to Elle.
It's clear the entire family enjoys spending time together while embracing (or trying to embrace) the country lifestyle Bentley's character embodies in Yellowstone. While sporting a medical boot for a foot injury, Bentley recently shared with Kelly Clarkson the "cool story" of his injury on her talk show.
Supposedly, Bentley roundhouse-kicked a bear while on a camping trip with his wife and children. "I learned not to kick bears," he said jokingly.
While we may not have all the gushy, sweet details of Swedberg and Bentley's love affair, we know for certain the pair have been in love for more than a decade. He told Larry King that she is the love of his life.
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