Taylor Sheridan once sued his 'Yellowstone' co-star over coffee — then he dropped the lawsuit
'Yellowstone' creator Taylor Sheridan is quite the genius at creating dramas but he doesn't like any in his real life. According to People magazine, Sheridan once sued one of his cast members over a very surprising reason: coffee. And no, it's not Kevin Costner who exited the show after feuding with Sheridan, but rather Cole Hauser who played the character of Rip Wheeler in the neo-Western drama. Hauser was accused of ripping on Sheridan's coffee brand.
In November 2023, Sheridan's Bosque Ranch, the same site where 'Yellowstone' was filmed, filed a lawsuit against Hauser's coffee company, Free Rein, alleging "trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising." The lawsuit revolved around the resemblances between the logos of the two companies. The logo of Sheridan's company Bosque Ranch, is an overlap of the letters 'B' and 'R,' while Hauser's brand Free Rein, features intertwined 'F' and 'R'. In light of the same, Bosque Ranch claimed that these similarities could eventually mislead the customers into believing that both ventures were related in some way.
In court documents, Sheridan stated, “Neither Hauser nor the Defendants asked or received permission or authorization of Sheridan or Bosque Ranch to use a mark confusingly similar to the B R Brand for virtually identical goods.” As per Cowboys and Indians magazine, Sheridan's Texas Ranch joined hands with Community Coffee in June 2023 to launch Bosque Ranch Craft Coffee. Meanwhile, Free Rein, was launched a few months later, in October. It offers a wide variety of premium coffee blends including American Dirt, Texas Pecan, Homestead, Mesteno, and Heavy Spur among others. So was it a rip-off?
According to a report by Wide Open Country, Sheridan's Bosque Ranch voluntarily dropped the lawsuit against Hauser's Free Rein in early 2024. While the reasons behind the dismissal have not been revealed publicly, it is safe to assume that the two have sorted out their differences. Despite their off-camera feud, Hauser has only shared his deep admiration for Sheridan and 'Yellowstone'. In a conversation with People magazine in April 2024, Hauser discussed his character Rip Wheeler, praising Sheridan. He shared that it was the emotional depth of his character that kept him interested in playing the role across seasons.
“What makes [Rip] special is that he has an unbelievable heart too. I mean, his loyalty is to not only the Dutton family but to Beth (played by Kelly Reilly), and his kindness, other than wanting to kill people times, is just, to me, it's the best of both worlds to be able to play," Hauser explained. Additionally, he gushed, "You look for colors in characters, and Taylor, in the last five seasons, has given Rip those wonderful colors." 'Yellowstone' wrapped recently, last month in December. You can stream all five seasons of the hit Western drama on Peacock.