Cole Hauser has opened up about the difficult transition from the original Yellowstone series to its spin-off, Dutton Ranch.

The veteran actor, who plays Rip Wheeler, admitted that returning to the role after the flagship show ended was a major challenge.

“There were challenges,” he told FilmInside. “You know, not having Taylor [Sheridan] there for us to kind of really be able to work with these new writers, these new directors, these people — you know, everything changed.”

Hauser explained that the only constant during production was a small group of returning players: himself, Kelly Reilly, Finn Little (who plays Carter) and director Christina Alexandra Voros.

“It was about putting my head down and working my ass off with what I had around me, the writers that we had, the new writers that we had. We had to figure out on our feet how to really perform and tell a story,” he said.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished, and I’m looking forward to doing it again.”

He added: “I’m also looking forward to them doing this again. However, this time, I hope it’s a bit easier for all of them.”

Production on Dutton Ranch Season 2 begins in early 2027, and Hauser revealed he’s excited to return to the character in the Texas-set spin-off.

While the show faced its share of drama, including reports of tension with former showrunner Chad Feehan and the arrival of new showrunner Benjamin Cavell for Season 2, Hauser focused on the positive aspects of the experience.

“We worked our asses off this year,” he said. “I don’t think a lot of the outside noise or the thought of ‘What’s the weight of this show?’ was really apparent to me at the time.”

Hauser’s comments come as Dutton Ranch continues to expand the Dutton universe, with fans eager to see how Rip and Beth’s story evolves without the original creator at the helm.

The actor’s candid remarks highlight the unique challenges of stepping into a beloved character’s next chapter while navigating a completely new creative team.

“Everything changed” after Yellowstone ended, but Hauser is optimistic about the future of the franchise.