Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler on Dutton Ranch, recently spoke about the "challenges" he faced during the show's first season.
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But things could go down a little smoother for next chapter of the Yellowstone spinoff. The 51-year-old actor says fans will see a new side of Wheeler under the drama's new showrunner.
Who Is the New Showrunner on "Dutton Ranch"?
As reported by PEOPLE, Hauser shared that he is excited to work with Benjamin Cavell, who will be the showrunner for Dutton Ranch's second season.
"He's a very special guy, and I think the future is bright—not only for myself, but Beth [Kelly Reilly] and Carter [Finn Little] and the show in general," he said. "I think this is going to be a really nice next step."
Cavell created the hit action drama SEAL Team and the MGM+ show The Institute. His credits also include the most recent adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand and the hit Showtime drama Homeland.
Nearly 13 million viewers worldwide streamed the series premiere of Dutton Ranch. And while it is the biggest launch in the history of Paramount+, there was as much drama behind the scenes of the show as there was on-screen.
What Made Filming the Show So Difficult?
Cavell certainly has his work cut out for him. Ed Harris revealed some of the difficulties on the set of Dutton Ranch earlier this month. He said he begged his team to get him "the f**k" off the set, as his arc of his character, veterinarian Everett McKinney, changed quite a bit.
"I said, 'I'm feeling underused and inconsequential,' and they kind of went, 'Oh,'" Harris added. "I'm being told my character will have a little bit more to do [in Season 2]. I was just a little frustrated, to tell you the truth."
Hauser explained that it was demanding to work on the show without Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan in the writers' room.
"I enjoy a challenge. It certainly was a challenge," he said. "It was about putting my head down and working my ass off with what I had around me. We worked our asses off this year."
But Hauser said the response from both fans and critics made it all worth it.
"The audience loved it. The critics loved it," he said. "I can't wait to continue to make Dutton Ranch as good as it can be."
