Taylor Sheridan & Cole Hauser's Icy Rift Shows No Signs Of Thawing Anytime Soon

"Dutton Ranch" is producing juicy drama both onscreen and behind the scenes. Executive producer Taylor Sheridan and lead Cole Hauser (who plays Rip Wheeler) are reportedly caught in a Texas-sized feud that appears to have been brewing for quite some time now. "Dutton Ranch" premiered in May, to a captive audience with a record 12.9 million global views in its first seven days — a personal best for an original series on Paramount+. Despite the spinoff show's success, its lead star and executive producer almost got into a physical altercation — and it wasn't the first time — according to the Daily Mail. In 2022, Hauser openly shared with Men's Journal that the second time he and Sheridan met, they got into an argument. 

While the reason wasn't revealed, the two men apparently squashed the issue right away as they continued working together and seemed to be pretty close. Now, it's clear that tension is bubbling up beneath the surface of their friendship. As an insider source divulged to the Daily Mail, "When they were filming 'Yellowstone,' they almost got into a fist fight. They butted heads big time because they are so different. But then they were OK in the end, the dust-up was short-lived." The source chalked it up to clashing personalities, pointing out, "Taylor can be a harsh Texas guy. He is super straightforward and thinks fast, so he can come off as brutal, but he is just on top of his game, and he is brilliant. Cole is more casual, more surfer dude."

Notably, in July, the "Yellowstone" sequel's leading man admitted to FilmInside that Taylor Sheridan's absence from the "Dutton Ranch" set ripped up the "normality" for Cole Hauser. Apparently, his comments weren't taken lightly by Sheridan. As a source explained to the Daily Mail, "Whether Cole knew it or not, he was sounding an alarm that told the world that there were problems on 'Dutton Ranch,' and that was not appreciated." Notably, co-lead Kelly Reilly teased that Sheridan will be more involved in Season 2 of "Dutton Ranch," which will be a big shift for the series, and should hopefully ease some of Hauser's complaints. The two men also entered a caffeinated legal battle in 2023 after Sheridan's coffee brand, Bosque Ranch, filed a lawsuit against Hauser's Free Rein for "trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising," per People. They settled in 2024.

Their supposedly long-standing feud could stem from a place of jealousy on Sheridan's side, according to certain Hollywood insiders. As a source asserted to the Daily Mail, "Taylor might sometimes be hard on actors because when he first came to Hollywood he tried to act and didn't get very far." While the "Yellowstone" co-creator didn't succeed in front of the screen, he certainly found his calling in writing. Still, Sheridan's original dream of acting full-time might be fueling some envy towards Hauser, whom an insider described as "a natural. His looks, his timing — he has an ease with the camera. And he plays a hero very well," adding, "I wouldn't doubt it if Taylor was jealous of Cole." Sheridan's strong personality seems to be the link between his quarrels with others, including the firing of showrunner Chad Feehan — another major shake-up on "Dutton Ranch" that hinted at behind-the-scenes drama.