It’s the breakout show that draws Yellowstone fans with the promise of more spice, glamor and drama.
But behind the scenes at Dutton Ranch, tensions are running high.
A rift appears to be growing between two of the Yellowstone sequel’s biggest names: star Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, and executive producer Taylor Sheridan.
The Daily Mail has learned the pair almost came to blows – an alarming echo of the fistfight they had when they met for the second time.
Hauser hasn’t helped matters by publicly criticizing Sheridan’s absence from Dutton Ranch and voicing his frustration with filming in North Texas..
“Cole has been feuding with Taylor for a while,” a source revealed.
Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler and Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in Dutton Ranch
Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of the Yellowstone franchise, took a more hands-off approach with the first season of Dutton Ranch
“Taylor can be a tough Texas guy. He’s super simple and quick-thinking, so he can come across as cheeky, but he’s just on top of his game and he’s brilliant. Cole is more casual, more surfer.”
The bad blood between Hauser and Sheridan dates back to before they first worked together on Yellowstone.
Hauser told Men’s Journal in 2022 that he and Sheridan got into a physical fight the second time they met, but eventually became friends. Now it can be revealed that the pair have since fallen out again.
“When they were filming Yellowstone, they almost got into a fistfight,” the source said. ‘They clashed enormously because they are so different. But in the end everything was fine, the commotion was short-lived.’
The problems don’t stop there.
In late 2023, the producer sued the actor over a trademark dispute over the logos of their competing cowboy-themed coffee brands. Sheridan came out with Bosque Ranch coffee, while Hauser later debuted Free Rein, which reportedly had a similar brand identity. The lawsuit alleged trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising.
They eventually settled privately in 2024. But the uncomfortable feelings remain.
“Cole is a super nice guy from Santa Barbara and Taylor is a very tough but brilliant cowboy from Texas,” the source said. “It’s classic California versus Texas. Cole is more of a laid back guy, and Taylor is more of a ‘do your job and be grateful’ kind of guy. It’s oil and water.’
Hauser reportedly inflamed the situation when he complained that Sheridan wasn’t around for season one of Dutton Ranch.
He told Page Six in July: “It was definitely a challenge. It was about putting my head down and doing the best I could with what I had around me.”
Those comments did not sit well with Sheridan.
“Whether Cole knew it or not, he sounded the alarm and told the world there was trouble at Dutton Ranch, and it was not appreciated,” the source said.
However, Sheridan has made changes. He replaced creator and showrunner Chad Feehan with SEAL Team’s Benjamin Cavell. He is expected to be in the writers’ room for season two of the show, currently in the script stage.
Hauser, left, and Sheridan, right, have had tension for years
Another complaint from Hauser was about the show’s location. Most of the filming took place around Weatherford and Ferris in North Texas, where the heat, Hauser claimed, made it difficult to maintain his character’s physique.
“I was trying to keep the weight off,” Hauser told People in June. “I mean, I usually gain about 25 pounds [to play Rip]but it was hard to keep it up. I was sweating it out.”
The source admitted that the locations have caused problems.
“It gets very hot, even over 40 degrees in the summer,” the insider said. “People have had heat stroke and are often sick, even needing breaks and ice packs. Moreover, the location is full of rattlesnakes, which is extremely dangerous.’
The problems between Hauser and Sheridan could point to a bigger problem. There is a belief in some Hollywood circles that Sheridan is unusually harsh on actors due to lingering frustrations with his own acting career. One industry source speculated that he might even be “jealous” of Hauser.
“No actor gets along with Taylor that well except Billy Bob Thornton, but they put up with him because his shows are so good,” the source added.
“Taylor may have been hard on actors at times because when he first came to Hollywood he tried acting and didn’t get far. That was stressful for him, it was a big setback,” said a second Hollywood source.
‘That’s why Taylor started writing and directing. But he still performs as he shows up in his own shows like Yellowstone and Lioness.
“Cole, on the other hand, is a natural. His looks, his timing – he handles the camera with ease. And he plays a hero very well.
Sheridan (right) now often takes on acting roles in his own shows, such as here on Lioness
“I wouldn’t doubt it if Taylor was jealous of Cole. Heck, even Cole’s best friend Ben Affleck is jealous of him these days! Cole’s Rip Wheeler is the coolest guy on TV,” the Hollywood source added.
Despite the tension, Sheridan always wins in the end.
“Cole has a lot of respect for Taylor, so he keeps his mouth shut. He is extremely grateful that Taylor made him a star at Yellowstone and that he now has a job at Dutton Ranch. He knows he owes Taylor a lot,” a Hollywood source said.
“Cole always had a hard time before Yellowstone, he never got a big paycheck until Yellowstone came along.”
Hauser’s pre-Yellowstone hits included a small role in 1997’s Good Will Hunting and roles in lesser-known films such as 2004’s Paparazzi and 2013’s Assassins Run.
“Cole knows better than to give a blow job. He says sorry very quickly. Taylor is the boss and he can get rid of Cole at any time. So Cole doesn’t say c**p anymore,” the first source said.
“Taylor doesn’t like putting up with actor c**p. He wants actors to stay in line. No diva s***, no script changes. He allows Billy Bob to ad lib, but no one else. Billy Bob is great, he can handle it, and he’s a good friend of Taylor’s, so he can add lines, but no one else can,” the source said.
Sheridan has removed major stars before, killing off Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone character John Dutton.
Sheridan has removed major stars before, killing off Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone character John Dutton
Hauser in a shirt with the Free Rein logo, next to Sheridan’s logo for Bosque Ranch
“That was a big problem with Kevin Costner on Yellowstone, because Kevin always questioned Taylor’s writing. Kevin also went out and made his Horizon film. It was a mess, as everyone knows,” the first source said.
‘But you can’t really argue with Taylor, because his writing is worth its weight in gold. He’s the best writer on all his shows, and everyone knows it. Taylor is very tough, but his writing is dynamite.”
And season two of Dutton Ranch is just starting to take shape.
“It’s currently in the writing process and filming won’t take place until early next year, so it’s very early days,” the Hollywood source told the Daily Mail.
The plot is expected to see Beth and Rip get their son Carter back from the cartel. ‘There will be a lot of action. Attention will also be paid to Oreana’s pregnancy,” the insider added.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for both Sheridan and Hauser for comment.
