‘Yellowstone’: Cole Hauser’s Dad Was Also a Well-Known Star

Before he earned crowds of new fans with his role as Rip Wheeler on Paramount Network’s Yellowstone, stardom was already prominent in Cole Hauser’s family. The actor is the son of Gerald Dwight “Wings” Hauser, the beloved actor and director who earned a cult following for his roles in beloved action films like A Soldier’s Story and Tough Guys Don’t Dance, his supporting role in the latter film even earning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. For Hauser, however, Wings was just “Dad.”

Hauser opened up about growing up with a famous parent in a recent interview with Cowboys & Indians, revealing that he did not initially know that his father was a famous actor. In fact, Hauser didn’t learn of his father’s fame until he was about 10 years old, the actor recalling how he saw his father “on TV, and I didn’t know he was my dad.” It was when the credits rolled at the end of the film that Hauser saw “Wings Hauser” on the screen. The actor recalled how he “went into my mom’s room, and I said, “Hey mom. I just saw a guy on TV, his name’s Wings Hauser.” And she looked at me and went: “Wow!” And I said, “Yeah, I saw this guy.” And she goes, “Yeah, well, let’s talk about that.” And so, she explained to me who he was. And that’s how I found out about my dad.

Hauser, of course, has followed in his father’s footsteps and made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. The actor is well-known for his roles in titles such as ER, Good Will Hunting, Dazed and Confused, and 2 Fast 2 Furious, among many others. Fans now best know him as Rip Wheeler, a ranch hand on the Dutton Ranch. The role has earned him throngs of fans, among them his father, who is an avid fan of the Paramount Network series. 

“Absolutely,” Hauser said when asked if he and his father talk much about Yellowstone. “Yeah, he’s a huge fan of the show, and is obviously very proud of what I’ve done in it. He’s an old cowboy, after all. Our family, the Hauser side of the family, are all Montanans. So, it’s very close to him. We have family in Helena and Livingstone and all over the state.”

Hauser and his father, as well as fans, will have plenty to talk about when Yellowstone returns for Season 4 at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount Network with a two-hour season premiere that will hopefully answer those questions still lingering from the jaw-dropping Season 3 finale. As fans wait for the new episodes, they can catch up with all past seasons with Paramount Network’s “premiere week” Yellowstone marathon, with all episodes of the show also available for streaming on Peacock, which you can subscribe to by clicking here.