There’s no place for argument when we say that seasoned actor Cole Hauser commanded complete attention as the rugged cowboy Rip Wheeler in Yellowstone. In fact, he has grown such an overwhelming, unwavering loyal following over the show’s past seasons. Despite his exponential popularity as an actor, as Rip, and as a bonafide sex symbol, there are still many interesting things that you most likely didn’t know about him.
RELATED: Stripping Down Yellowstone’s Rip Wheeler
Let’s start with the basics and then go down to the lesser-known facts about him.
1. Cole Hauser was born in Santa Barbara, California.
Cole Kenneth Hauser was born on March 22, 1975, in Santa Barbara, California, to mother Cass Warner and father Wings Hauser and grew up in California, Oregon, and Florida. His mother came from a Jewish family (from Austria, Russia, and Poland), while his father has been known to be of German, Irish, and Belgian (Walloon) descent.
He has three full siblings – older sister Tao, younger sister Vanessa, and younger brother Jesse – and a half-sister named Bright Hauser.
2. Cole Hauser descended from Hollywood royalty.
His paternal grandfather was Academy Award-winning American film screenwriter, actor, and film producer Dwight Hauser. His father, Wings, and his uncle Erich are both movie actors. And his half-sister Bright from his father’s second wife, Cali Lili, is also an actress.
On the other side, his maternal great-grandfather was a cinema magnate and founding partner of Warner Bros. Harry Warner. His maternal grandfather was Milton Sperling, an American film producer, and screenwriter. Sperling worked with 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., where he had his independent production unit named United States Pictures. His mother, Cass Warner, founded the film production company Warner Sisters.
3. Cole Hauser dropped out of high school.
Cole was just two when his parents divorced, and he spent his early years moving around a lot with his mom. After that, he reunited with his actor father and lived with him for a year, where he learned how to audition for film and TV. Then at 16, he dropped out of high school to pursue acting full-time. It was not surprising, though, given his bloodline.
4. Cole Hauser is friends with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
RELATED: Recreate Rip Wheeler’s Outfit in Yellowstone
The three actors started their lifelong friendship when they met in Cole Hauser’s 1992 big-screen debut lead role, “School Ties.” Five years later, they reteamed in “Good Will Hunting,” which earned Affleck and Damon their first Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay.
5. Cole Hauser and Matthew McConaughey are best friends.
Cole and Matthew met on the 1993 cult classic “Dazed and Confused” set in Austin, Texas. In a 2020 interview with Vulture, Cole reminisced about their first few moments together. He said that Matthew, who was a Texas native, was so excited to show them around town since it was a cool spring. According to him, this season was best enjoyed outside with a beer in one hand while waiting for beautiful girls to cruise by.
And that was it. They hit it off, and they even went on a trip across Europe with fellow cast member Rory Cochrane. Matthew still even had the Heineken coaster he got from Amsterdam. They would also hit up Formosa Cafe and Chez Jay in Santa Monica and have a drink.
To this day, whenever Matthew is in California, getting a drink with Hauser and Cochrane remains to be one of his priorities.
6. Cole Hauser’s paternal great-grandfather was one of the first governors of Montana.
His paternal great-grandfather Samuel Thomas Hauser held the governor seat of Montana from 1885 to 1887. That was why filming in Montana for Yellowstone felt like going back home.
7. He is married to former actress Cynthia Daniel.
Cynthia Daniel was part of the 1990s syndicated teen drama “Sweet Valley High” cast with her twin sister Brittany. She played the role of Elizabeth Wakefield, while her sister portrayed Elizabeth’s twin, Jessica. They made their film debut in 1995 with “The Basketball Diaries.” Cynthia retired from acting in 1997 after the cancellation of “Sweet Vallet High” and became a photographer instead.
The two married in 2006 and has three children – Ryland (2004), Colt (2008), and Steely Rose (2013).
8. Cole Hauser has a net worth of $8 million.
Cole Hauser is one of those who are called in this generation a “nepotism baby” as he descended from an extremely influential and prosperous Hollywood lineage. As of 2022, he has a net worth of $8 million. And with his current role as Rip Wheeler in Paramount’s flagship series Yellowstone, he is paid $200,000 per episode or around $1.8 to $2 million per season.
You can check out Cole Hauser’s Instagram here to stay updated with his adventures!
