The Secret To Yellowstone's Success Is Taylor Sheridan Himself, According To Cole Hauser - Exclusive

As Season 5 rolls along, "Yellowstone" is more popular than ever and really, finally, seeping into the mainstream. A walking, talking example of this is star Cole Hauser, who plays dedicated ranch hand Rip Wheeler.

In 2022, before the latest season even started, Spirit Halloween sold a Rip Wheeler costume kit, and Chris Pratt dressed up as him for the holiday. Singer Drake showed off a pair of boots Hauser signed on his Instagram story (via We Got This Covered), and it seems like Rip is the character to crush on in the wildly popular hit series, which airs new episodes Sundays on the Paramount Network.

A case could be made that Hauser has a lot to do with the show's snowballing success, yet the actor himself sees things differently. During an exclusive interview with Looper, Hauser said he thinks the secret to the show's success is creator Taylor Sheridan, who has quickly become a television mogul on the back of "Yellowstone."

"The secret is Taylor Sheridan," said Cole Hauser, not beating around the bush about his thoughts on the success of "Yellowstone."

While "Yellowstone" was Sheridan's first foray into television in 2018, he had previously been nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay for writing 2016's "Hell or High Water" and is also known for fan-favorite films "Sicario" and "Wind River." By 2022, in addition to "Yellowstone," he also had "Mayor of Kingstown," "1883," and "Tulsa King" under his belt on streaming service Paramount+, with several other high-profile series coming up, including the Helen Mirren-Harrison Ford-starring "1923."

But what really turned Sheridan into a household name was "Yellowstone," although Hauser thinks it's the other way around.

"His writing is phenomenal," said Hauser. "I keep telling people anywhere I can that, in my opinion, he's one of the great American writers. What he has done as far as the Western world and the spinoffs, whether it's '1883' or [the upcoming] '1923' — the world is his oyster. He just needs to make sure he gets enough time to think, because he's got a lot going on. He is so involved, and he cares so greatly. I hope that he continues to give time to this show because if he does ... There are tremendous actors and the crew, and being up in Montana [filming] has been such a pleasure."

Season 5 of "Yellowstone" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Paramount Network.