‘Yellowstone’ Star Cole Hauser Discusses Fear Of Old Ladies
Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, the preeminent tough guy of Yellowstone, is set to take the modern-day Western into the concluding episodes of its final season. Hauser answers questions in the new cover story for Cigar Aficionado, where he discusses a variety of topics—from cigars to his upbringing to his side ventures to his real-life adventure that involved rescuing a friend in Cuba.
On why people love his character, Rip: “I think the simple answer is you don’t get to see real American men this way anymore. He’s honest, he’s loyal, as insane as he can be at times, he has a great heart. The simplicity of life, the understanding of nature, I can go on and on.”
On the show’s surprise popularity: “It was a grassroots show that really caught fire in middle America then grew out to the edges of the country, whether it’s New York, California, what have you. There’s a real core audience for it. It was new, it was different…It explores this beautiful place called Montana. The great thing about television or film is you want to take people out of wherever they are and put them in another place and go along for the journey. And Taylor [Sheridan] is, in my opinion, the best American writer right now, certainly in this space.”
On a potential spinoff: “I don’t make the decisions, brother—I’m a hired gun. Would I like a spinoff? Yeah. It’s been a pleasure working with this cast, with Taylor Sheridan—why would we stop a good thing? Yeah, pen it and let’s do it.”
On, in his early 20s, traveling to Cuba to rescue a friend: “I was looking for a friend of mine who had disappeared down there. I can’t really tell you who it is—I went down there ’cause his mom was worried for him. I stayed in a bunch of places…It took me nine days to find him. It ended well. When he initially saw me he thought he saw a ghost. He couldn’t believe I was there. At the time, he needed someone to bring him back to reality, to present day. And that’s what I did. I got him out of there. He’s doing better now.
On his appreciation for the Cuban culture and people “I had such a cool experience. I think America is the greatest country in the world. But what I saw down there was real happiness. A culture that was really repressed because of Castro. Being watched. But when they had fun, they smiled. There was a real energy that came off. I was like wow, how poor these people are, how little they have but how happy they are. Pretty amazing to see that kind of happiness. I was blown away.”
On one of the byproducts of his newfound fame: “Old ladies coming up and pinching my ass. You gotta be careful of the older ones, they don’t care anymore.”
On enjoying the Yellowstone ride: “I have the greatest office in the world. I’ve been saying that for seven years. I get to go out in nature, ride a horse, chase cows, cut rope, rein at times…it’s a very special role. At the same time too, I kind of kick myself, remind myself, this is about as good as it gets.”
Launched in 1992, Cigar Aficionado is the definitive lifestyle magazine for men. Dubbed “The Good Life Magazine for Men”, the print publication and its accompanying website (CigarAficionado.com), focus on luxury lifestyle topics such as golf, travel, alcohol and accessories. Cigar Aficionado also sponsors events such as The Big Smoke, the country’s premier event for cigar smokers. Parent company M. Shanken Communications also publishes Wine Spectator, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.