Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch wouldn't have become nearly as successful as it did without the stellar performances of Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, and the chemistry they share as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively. However, if Taylor Sheridan went with his original plan for the Yellowstone cast, Beth and Rip may never have become one of TV's most iconic couples.
In Yellowstone's sprawling ensemble of antiheroes and villains, Beth and Rip became fan-favorite characters. Beth added some much-needed color to the show as John Dutton's fiery, short-tempered only daughter, while Rip entertained as the ranch owner's stoic yet violent enforcer. However, it was Beth and Rip's tenderhearted romance that made audiences truly fall in love with them, and it provided the foundation for Dutton Ranch.
The continuation of the couple's story in Rio Paloma, Texas, was an instant hit when it premiered on Paramount+ in May 2026, and unsurprisingly, Dutton Ranch was renewed for season 2. What's just as exciting is that Sheridan plans to have much more hands-on involvement in Dutton Ranch's second season, making for a welcome reunion between him, Hauser, and Reilly.
Interestingly, when Yellowstone was in its casting stage, Sheridan envisioned Hauser, whom he's known for almost a decade, as one of John Dutton's sons. However, when Hauser read the pilot script, Rip was the character who spoke to him the most, a sentiment he shared with Sheridan.
Dutton Ranch & Yellowstone Would Have Been Very Different With Cole Hauser As John Dutton's Son
Hauser told THR that he came to Yellowstone by way of the show's co-creator John Linson, whom the Rip actor had known since he was a teenager, saying,
He came to me initially [with Yellowstone] and said, “Take a look at these different roles and tell me what you think.” In the beginning it was to play one of the children of John Dutton. I read the pilot and I thought, well this guy [Rip] only has a couple of scenes, but I love the character. I got on the phone with Taylor. We spoke for two hours, and that was kind of it. Then I started to work with and be around Taylor while he was writing and he started building the character along with some of the ideas that I had.
It's nigh impossible to imagine Hauser as Jamie or Kayce Dutton. (Presumably, he would not have played the ill-fated Lee Dutton, who was always meant to die in the Yellowstone pilot episode.) Hauser brings an aura of quiet, lived-in confidence to his roles that would have been the wrong fit for the weaselly, insecure Jamie. Even Kayce, a character closer to Hauser's sensibilities, has a boyish vulnerability that may not have come out in the actor's performance.
It's fascinating that he was immediately drawn to Rip, who, as Hauser said, did not hugely factor into the pilot. Had Hauser taken his intended role and someone else played Rip, that actor may have only stuck to what was on the page of the pilot script, and not even thought of trying to develop the character with Sheridan.
The fact that Rip Wheeler is the product of Sheridan's fantastic writing and Hauser's actor instincts is the reason the Dutton Ranch character became such a television icon. Though Sheridan knows how to write a phenomenal character on his own, without Hauser's input, the entire trajectory of Yellowstone may have changed, and Dutton Ranch might very well never have happened.
What Cole Hauser & Taylor Sheridan's Reported Feud Means For Dutton Ranch
Just one season in, and Dutton Ranch appears to be a lightning rod for behind-the-scenes drama: season 1 showrunner Chad Feehan was fired after alleged clashes with Sheridan, Hauser, and Reilly, and replaced by Benjamin Cavell; Everett McKinney actor Ed Harris publicly aired his dissatisfaction at being "underused"; and The Daily Mail recently reported on a "feud" between Hauser and Sheridan, in which sources claimed that the pair had a heated, near-physical confrontation on the set of Yellowstone.
According to the sources, the conflict stemmed from their "oil and water" personalities, with Sheridan the "harsh Texas guy" clashing with Hauser's "more casual, more surfer dude" demeanor. The article also discussed Sheridan, a former actor, potentially being envious of Hauser's professional success, along with a 2023 legal dispute over Sheridan and Hauser's respective coffee brands.
The latest source of tension comes from Sheridan allegedly being displeased about Hauser's comment that filming Dutton Ranch season 1 without the Yellowstone creator was a "challenge." The Daily Mail's source said, "Whether Cole knew it or not, he was sounding an alarm that told the world that there were problems on Dutton Ranch, and that was not appreciated."
If Sheridan is more involved in Dutton Ranch, this could spell trouble for season 2, which is set to commence filming in early 2027. This is the last thing the show needs after a reportedly tumultuous season 1 filming experience.
However, it's also clear that Hauser and Sheridan have deep professional respect for each other. In his comments to THR, Hauser referred to Sheridan as "a tremendous American writer," while any animosity for Hauser that Sheridan may have has not stopped him from making Rip one of the best characters in the Yellowstone universe and having him star in a spinoff. For all the drama on his shows, Sheridan has created an awe-inspiring television empire, and it's unlikely that Rip Wheeler — or Cole Hauser — will be leaving it anytime soon.
