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Cole Hauser says brutal Texas weather wiped out 'Dutton Ranch' cast

Cole Hauser opens up about battling heat and ice storms while filming ‘Dutton Ranch’ Season 1

Cole Hauser has opened up about the toughest part of filming 'Dutton Ranch' Season 1, and it had nothing to do with the show's emotional or action-packed moments. Instead, the actor says the unpredictable Texas weather pushed the entire production to its limits. After spending nine months on set, the cast and crew were more than ready for a break. Hauser, who returns as Rip Wheeler in the 'Yellowstone' spin-off, described the experience as physically demanding from beginning to end. Long shooting schedules became even harder because the weather kept changing throughout production. Even with those challenges, he believes the finished season made every difficult day worthwhile.

Speaking to People, Hauser said everyone felt completely drained by the time filming wrapped. "I think I was a bit wiped out. The cast and crew were wiped out," he admitted. He added, "We went through a lot of weather issues with the heat, then the freezing cold, and there were ice storms." Describing the unpredictable conditions, he simply said, "It was just nuts." By the time production wrapped, he said the entire team wanted "to take a breather, go home, rest up and get ready for this next year."

Despite those difficult conditions, Hauser says the experience felt rewarding once audiences finally saw the finished product. Looking ahead, he said, "I can't wait to continue to make 'Dutton Ranch' as good as it can be." The actor previously spoke to the publication about another behind-the-scenes challenge he faced. Since Rip Wheeler has a larger physical build, Hauser usually gains around 25 pounds before filming begins. However, the relentless Texas heat made the process much harder, leaving him constantly sweating while trying to maintain the character's appearance.

Director Christina Alexandra Voros also recalled the dramatic weather changes during production. "We finished the show in March and we got shut down for four days because of an ice storm. So we had every weather emoji over the course of shooting this," she told the outlet. She praised both the cast and crew for pushing through every challenge, even though the conditions were far from easy. Now that Season 1 is behind him, Hauser is enjoying some well-deserved downtime before returning to work. Paramount+ has already renewed 'Dutton Ranch' for a second season, with production expected to begin in early 2027.