'Yellowstone': Cole Hauser Brings Tough-as-Nails Ranch Hand Rip Wheeler to Life

Paramount Network's hit show Yellowstone is full of complicated characters. Kevin Costner's character John Dutton and the rest of the Dutton family definitely have a lot going on. But the family ranch is really held together with the help of longtime friend of the family Rip Wheeler, played by Cole Hauser.Show more

Cole Kenneth Hauser was no stranger to Hollywood growing up in Santa Barbara, California. His mother Cass Warner founded the production company, Warner Sisters, and his father Wings Hauser, was also an actor. Yes, that would be Warner of Warner Bros. His great-grandfather Harry Warner was a founding partner of the massive company. So when Hauser dropped out of high school to pursue an acting career, he probably didn't have anything to worry about.

His film debut was in School Ties alongside future stars Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell, and Ben Affleck. Soon after he appeared in Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused and Good Will Hunting with his old friends Matt and Ben. Hauser went on to make his rounds in action films like Pitch Black, the Bruce Willis war film Hart's War, and 2 Fast 2 Furious, A Good Day to Die Hard, Olympus Has Fallen, and Acts of Violence.

Before Yellowstone, Hauser also made his rounds on TV. In the 90s, he was a lead on the Steven Speilberg ABC TV series, High Incident, and later appeared on Rogue and the Lifetime limited series, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles.

But fans are currently loving Hauser in the role of Rip Wheeler, foreman of the Dutton Ranch, and John's number two man. His co-stars include the other Dutton men played by Luke Grimes and Wes Bentley, and John's daughter Beth Dutton played by Kelly Reilly. Beth and Rip have an on again off again relationship which is incredibly engrossing to watch.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Hauser explains that at first there is some tension between his character and Kayce when he returns to the family ranch, but in the end, he loves everyone in the family after knowing them for so many years.

"I think what’s interesting about our relationship is it is a big brother-little brother relationship, and there is some obvious residue from him leaving the ranch and kind of not helping his father when I think he should have. But in the end, I think Rip loves each and every one of his sons like he does John, and obviously he has a tremendous amount of love for Beth. So I don’t think he’s the kind of person that goes, “I’m gonna put myself in the middle of this and stand on my own two feet.” It’s been happening for thirty years."

It seems like it's really a dream show with everyone excited to be there. But Houser told CinemaBlend that there are a few difficulties that come with filming a show that is mostly featured outdoors. His least favorite part of filming is definitely the weather.

"Uh, when it gets like early December and it’s freezing, and you’re sitting on a horse, freezing to death with the horse. The horse is shaking, and you’re shaking with it. Waiting for them to say 'action.'"

Yellowstone season 3 is currently underway and there have already been multiple things going on with Beth and Rip's relationship. We're excited to see what's in store for the rest of the season!