yellowstones-cole-hauser-speaks-out-about-how-show-has-taken-grassroots-road-to-success

‘Yellowstone’s Cole Hauser Speaks Out About How Show Has Taken ‘Grassroots’ Road to Success

Fans are clamoring to see what’s in store for the upcoming fifth season of Yellowstone. The highly-anticipated TV event is still two months away, but fans can’t wait to see more of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Taylor Sheridan‘s neo-western epic is a major hit with audiences. But the stars in front of the camera are just as thrilled by the drama of Yellowstone.

One of the show’s stars is Cole Hauser who plays the Dutton Ranch foreman Rip Wheeler. The actor recently sat down with Cigar and Spirits to talk about his time acting in such a memorable show and what it means to him to be involved with it.

Yellowstone has become a cultural milestone, and Rip Wheeler is a major part of it. People purchase t-shirts and mugs with “Send Rip” written across them. Hauser said the grassroots following is to thank for that kind of success.

“I think when you have a grassroots show like this, that started very small and is built from the interior of the country out, and now it’s finally seemingly hit California and New York, which took many years, then you’ve done it the right way,” Hauser said. “You’ve taken the stairs versus the elevator. Each year, we’ve taken those steps to really solidify not only our audience, but the love for the show.”

Cole Hauser on His Family Roots and ‘Yellowstone’

Hauser knows a thing or two about sticking to your roots. He comes from a famous family. His great-grandfather co-founded Warner Bros. Entertainment and established a dynasty similar to that of the Dutton family. He knows being part of such a pillar of the entertainment world is “a blessing.”

“When you think about what my family has been able to accomplish on the Warner side–they created sound and film,” Hauser said. “We wouldn’t be here doing this without Sam Warner’s innovation, the Vitaphone. In many respects, they changed Hollywood. I’m very proud of that side of my family. I never had the chance to sit in a room with any of them, unfortunately.”

He continued, “I did have a chance to know Milton Sperling [Cole’s maternal grandfather], who was a writer and producer who wrote some unbelievable films. He was essentially my dad growing up. I got to see him for the first 12 years of my life. Then, my mom [Cass Warner] is in the business. She’s got Warner Sisters. She’s developing a show right now with Warner Bros. about the family history. My dad [Wings Hauser] is a musician and actor. It’s all through my family.”

He might come from a famous family, but Hauser is very much like the character he plays on Yellowstone. He can embrace his cowboy side, and working on the show allows him to connect to those roots.

“There’s a bunch of cowboys there, so to be honest, after a good day’s work of running cows and stuff like that, they like to have some whiskey and beer,” Hauser said.