Dutton Ranch Star Cole Hauser Was Originally Asked To Play A Different Yellowstone Character

It might seem like Cole Hauser was destined to play the stoic, fiercely loyal Rip Wheeler on "Yellowstone," but the actor was initially offered a different role on the acclaimed series. When asked whether series creators Taylor Sheridan and John Linson approached him for playing Rip, Hauser told The Hollywood Reporter that Linson, his longtime friend, came to him with an offer to play one of John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) children.

Hauser explained, "[Linson] 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."

While Hauser might've fared well as Lee or Kayce Dutton, his affinity for Rip Wheeler led Sheridan to flesh out the character's arc along the way. "[Sheridan is] a tremendous American writer. It was a great collaboration," Hauser added in the same interview, referring to the fact that some of his ideas for Rip were factored in as the show progressed.

In "Yellowstone," Rip is driven by a strong sense of commitment to the Duttons, who grant him a purpose on the ranch, which he oversees as a veteran fixer and foreman. Rip's romantic involvement with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) gradually becomes the focal point of his arc, and the duo eventually turns a new leaf by moving to South Texas. This shift becomes the core premise of "Dutton Ranch," which has been renewed for Season 2 with Benjamin Cavell replacing Chad Feehan as showrunner.

Speaking to People, Cole Hauser explained how this new beginning presents fresh challenges for Beth and Rip. "It's like going to the moon for these characters," the actor noted. "They don't know the land or the people or the environment." As "Dutton Ranch" allows Beth and Rip to assume center stage, Season 2 has the unique opportunity to expand their motivations beyond their complex relationship to the Dutton legacy.

Hauser made his early television breakthrough with 1996's "High Incident," in which he played Officer Randy Willitz. Apart from his beloved "Yellowstone" role, Hauser has appeared on several shows over the years, including "ER," "K-Ville," "Rogue," and "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles."