Yellowstone is getting ready for the cameras to start rolling on the series conclusion.
But there are still mysteries surrounding the final set of episodes.
And Yellowstone’s Cole Hauser broke this big news about Taylor Sheridan for next season.
Cole Hauser talks about the return of Yellowstone in an interview
The second of half season five of the Paramount Network smash hit Yellowstone is about to start production.
Season Five will conclude the saga of the Dutton Ranch in Montana.
Actor Cole Hauser – who plays Rip Wheeler on the show – told PEOPLE that he’s “excited to go back to work.”
The show’s last episode aired on January 1, 2023, and its return to the air has been delayed by the actors’ and writers’ strikes in Hollywood.
“It’s been a year and a half,” Hauser said about the last time the show was filming. “I’m excited to see my castmates.”
Hauser said that he was “excited” to see his co-star Kelly Reily – who plays his character’s wife Beth Dutton – and to see the show’s co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
“I think he’s going to direct some [episodes],” Hauser said about Sheridan. “So I’m excited about that. Just get back up in Montana and go to work.”
Yellowstone has become a cultural phenomenon since it first started airing in 2018.
Hauser said “It’s been pretty cool” that the show has had such an impact on audiences since it debuted.
“It’s always amazing to create a character that really transcends,” Hauser stated. “It’s pretty wild that this show has touched so many.”
Cole Hauser revealed what surprised him about playing Rip Wheeler
Rip Wheeler was taken in by John Dutton – played by Kevin Costner – as a child and became the character that does the dirty work like violence and murder that needs to be done to protect the ranch.
Hauser said that his character becoming so popular with fans “surprised the s**t out of Taylor Sheridan and I, at first.”
He added that he was particularly shocked at how a violent character like Rip Wheeler resonated with women.
“At first, to see women coming up and saying, ‘Oh my God, I love your character.’ I was thinking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” Hauser said.
But as the show’s popularity started to take off, he saw why women loved his “bad boy” character.
“What makes [Rip] special is that he has an unbelievable heart too,” Hauser explained. “I mean, his loyalty is to not only the Dutton family, but to Beth [Dutton] and his kindness, other than wanting to kill people at times, is just, to me, it’s the best of both worlds to be able to play.”
He said that the complexity of Rip kept him excited about the role on the show.
“You look for colors in characters, and Taylor, in the last five seasons, has given Rip those wonderful colors,” Hauser said.
Yellowstone is scheduled to return to the air sometime this November.
With the possibility that Kevin Costner doesn’t return to the series, Cole Hauser’s character could have one of the biggest storylines in the conclusion of the series.
Read All About It will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
