
Discussing with THR, Cole Hauser opened up about his experience on Yellowstone. He shared that the series was initially pitched to him by co-creator John Linson, who is also known for Sons of Anarchy and Yellowstone. Initially, Linson and Sheridan were contemplating Hauser for one of the roles as John Dutton’s sons – either Kayce, Jamie, or Lee Dutton. However, Hauser was captivated by the character Rip Wheeler after reading the pilot script, and subsequently had a conversation with Taylor Sheridan. This conversation led to a broader development of the character, ultimately resulting in a more significant role for him. Here’s his exact quote:
“It came through John Linson, who I worked with on Sons of Anarchy. They were looking at me to play one of the Dutton boys—Kayce, Jamie, or Lee. But I read the pilot and was intrigued by Rip Wheeler. So I called Taylor Sheridan and we started talking about it. And then we expanded on the character to make him more prominent.