Before Yellowstone, Cole Hauser Starred in $6 Billion Franchise (But No One Remembers)
Cole Hauser has done quite well for himself.
He's not only one of the stars of the most successful show on television but consistently ranks among the most popular and desirable characters on Yellowstone.
Be that as it may, the path for Rip Wheeler to Yellowstone has not always been straightforward or predictable. In fact, at one point early in his career, Hauser was associated with one of the biggest movie franchises of all-time.
Hauser is barely recognizable compared to his wardrobe on Yellowstone, yet upon closer examination, audiences can locate the actor in the early days of the Fast & Furious franchise. The sequel to the highly successful original installment – 2 Fast 2 Furious – features Hauser as the antagonist in the film, Carter Verone.
In this movie, Hauser portrays a ruthless drug cartel ringleader who is targeted by U.S. Customs. The 2003 follow-up to the original was directed by John Singleton and also features Paul Walker before his tragic death. Hauser looks vastly different from his humble beginnings as Rip Wheeler, yet demonstrates the acting chops that eventually landed him the role in Yellowstone.
The 48-year-old actor has had an interesting journey to this point in his career. He made his acting debut alongside other up-and-coming stars (Matt Damon, Brendan Fraser, Ben Affleck) in School Ties.
Later, Hauser teamed up once again with Affleck in the cult classic, Dazed and Confused, along with the 1997 Academy-Award-winning film, Good Will Hunting. While making other noteworthy appearances, it wasn't until 2 Fast 2 Furious, in 2003, that Hauser's career really accelerated.
Unfortunately, the stint on the high-earning movie franchise was short-lived, yet leaving Fast & Furious opened up new opportunities. And, with it, he landed the role of Rip Wheeler several years later, cementing his legacy as one of the top actors currently in Hollywood.
Since then, Hauser hasn't looked back and remains one of the integral parts of the neo-western. With that, however, he'll never forget his early days of acting including playing the "bad guy" in Fast & Furious even if it's an afterthought to many admirers.
Fans may mistake Hauser in Fast & Furious, but his face is now extremely recognizable even if he's ditched the drug game for being a rancher in Montana. The roles couldn't be more different yet have demonstrated Hauser's versatility in an industry that consistently demands evolution and progression.
Today, it's humorous to go back and watch a young Hauser as he was working his way up in showbiz. He's certainly done well for himself, even if he was originally the archnemesis to Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Brian (Paul Walker).