Biggest Difference Between Cole Hauser and His Yellowstone Character Rip is Something Most Fans Wouldn’t Expect

Actor Cole Hauser is widely known for portraying the character of Rip Wheeler on Paramount’s Yellowstone opposite Kelly Reilly. The actor’s character is one of the most beloved on the show, and his chemistry with co-star Reilly has been lauded by fans. The audience, as well as critics, for his performance in Yellowstone, have appreciated Hauser, who has been a part of projects including Dazed and Confused, School Ties, and Good Will Hunting.

Hauser comes from a family where his great-grandfather was a founder of Warner Bros., while his grandparents were screenwriters and producers. His work on Yellowstone has been dubbed as a career-defining role, but there is one major difference between him and the character he plays on-screen.

Cole Hauser reveals one major difference between him and his Yellowstone character Rip Wheeler

In a recent cover story interview for GQ, Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone, was asked about his background in riding horses, as his character demands a lot of that. He said he grew up in Oregon riding, so from the age of 4 to 7, he was on a horse, adding that to play a character who requires a high degree of horsemanship, he got into shape.

During the conversation, he was asked what pitfalls he had avoided that his co-stars had fallen into, and he said,

Alcohol.

He explained that alcohol was a big thing when his community was coming up in the ‘90s. Hauser noted that everyone used to drink at the time, but the real pitfall was the people who were doing blow. The actor noted that he was never a part of his crew, adding that taking alcohol and smoking out of my life has made him a much better person. He added,

Acting is very heady, and if they are not as sharp as a whip, they’d never be as good as they want, which is why he didn’t care much about the pitfalls.

It’s interesting because Hauser’s character Rip Wheeler drinks on the show, whereas Cole Hauser in real life does not. The actor appeared on The Fred Minnick Show in 2022 and explained the significance of bourbon on the show and revealed what exactly they were drinking on set.

He explained that whenever his character was with John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, the patriarch would bring out bourbon, and they would drink and end up talking about life.

Bourbon’s always been that kind of narrative or connector for us. For me personally, it’s about John and Rip.

The actor also mentioned that they drink iced tea on set instead of bourbon. Cole Hauser might drink on the show when he’s portraying Rip Wheeler, but Hauser in real life is more of a coffee person and mentioned that if he could, he’d love to drink coffee at night, but it keeps him up, so he avoids even that.

Cole Hauser talks about the spin-off series starring Kelly Reilly

One of the most asked questions on the Internet is about the spin-off series of Yellowstone starring Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton, played by Kelly Reilly. While talking to GQ, Cole Hauser mentioned that he, along with Taylor Sheridan, had built the character of Rip Wheeler. He said,

I wanted to bring back the American man and loyalty and honesty and love and strength. It’s a part of Taylor’s and my. He helped me with the writing of it, but he allowed me to play and explore. I’m obviously very honored to have someone who cares enough to do that.

The actor further mentioned that he’s so glad that his character was able to touch so many people, adding that at the end of the day, that is the only intention of an actor.

In another interview with THR last month, he was asked about the spin-off series, and he said,

You can go on forever about these two. There’s no wall when it comes to them, no limits. As long as Taylor Sheridan wants to write something special, I know Kelly Reilly and I would be interested in doing it.

Speaking to People, he shared that his and Sheridan’s interest in bringing back an American man who is unapologetic, honest, loyal, and has strong values has been achieved. The response to the show has been positive.

All five seasons of Yellowstone are streaming on Peacock and Paramount+.