‘Yellowstone’ Creator Taylor Sheridan and Cole Hauser Alleged Feud Intensifies: Report

The friction between the "Yellowstone" mastermind and his leading man is apparently nothing new. According to those close to production, the pair's history of butting heads goes back years, long before cameras ever rolled on their latest project together.

"Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan and "Dutton Ranch" star Cole Hauser reportedly remain at odds. The two, who have collaborated on both shows, are said to have nearly come to blows on the set of "Dutton Ranch," the spinoff series that followed "Yellowstone."

"Cole has had beef with Taylor for a while," a source revealed to the Daily Mail on Monday. Hauser hasn't made things easier by publicly criticizing Sheridan's absence from "Dutton Ranch" and airing his frustrations about filming in North Texas.

"Taylor can be a harsh Texas guy. He is super straightforward and thinks fast, so he can come off as brutal, but he is just on top of his game, and he is brilliant. Cole is more casual, more surfer dude," the source said.

The tension between the two men reportedly predates their work together on "Yellowstone" entirely. In 2022, Hauser told Men's Journal that he and Sheridan got into a physical altercation the second time they met, though the pair later patched things up.

The Daily Mail further reported that the two have clashed again since, though the outlet did not specify when this second incident took place.

"When they were filming Yellowstone, they almost got into a fist fight," said the source. "They butted heads big time because they are so different. But then they were OK in the end, the dust-up was short-lived."

Even so, the friction hasn't stopped there. In late 2023, Sheridan sued Hauser in a trademark lawsuit involving the branding for their competing cowboy-themed coffee companies.

Sheridan launched Bosque Ranch coffee, while Hauser later introduced Free Rein, which allegedly bore a strikingly similar look. The lawsuit accused Hauser of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising. The two ultimately settled privately in 2024.

Still, the tension hasn't fully faded. "Cole is a super nice dude from Santa Barbara and Taylor is a very harsh but brilliant cowboy from Texas," the source said. "It's classic California versus Texas. Cole is more like a relaxed dude, and Taylor is more like 'do your work and be grateful.' It's oil and water."

Hauser reportedly stirred things up further when he complained that Sheridan was absent for the first season of "Dutton Ranch." He told Page Six back in July, "It certainly was a challenge. It was about putting my head down and working my [expletive] off with what I had around me."

Those remarks reportedly didn't sit well with Sheridan. "Whether Cole knew it or not, he was sounding an alarm that told the world that there were problems on Dutton Ranch, and that was not appreciated," said the source.

Sheridan has since made some changes behind the scenes. He replaced creator and showrunner Chad Feehan with Benjamin Cavell, known for his work on "SEAL Team." Cavell is expected to join the writers' room for the show's second season, which is currently in the scripting stage.

Still, insiders suggest the friction between Hauser and Sheridan may point to something larger. Within certain Hollywood circles, there's a belief that Sheridan is unusually tough on actors because of lingering frustration over his own attempts at acting.

One industry source went further, suggesting Sheridan may even be "envious" of Hauser.

"Taylor might sometimes be hard on actors because when he first came to Hollywood he tried to act and didn't get very far. That was stressful for him, it was a big bummer," said the second Hollywood source.

"That is why Taylor turned to writing and directing. But he still acts as he pops up on his own shows like Yellowstone and Lioness," the source continued. Despite their occasional clashes, Hauser is reportedly the one who tends to back down first.

"Cole has a lot of respect for Taylor, so he shuts up. He is extremely grateful that Taylor made him a star with Yellowstone and he now has a job with Dutton Ranch. He knows he owes Taylor a lot," a third Hollywood source noted.

The first source also added, "Cole knows better than to pipe up. He says sorry real fast. Taylor is the boss and he could get rid of Cole anytime. So Cole doesn't say [expletive] anymore."