This actor spotted his father on TV before he ever even met him. Though they reunited, it only led to him living on a docked boat and chasing a dream no one made easy. Decades later, he’s the face of one of TV’s most iconic modern cowboys.
Today, this Hollywood actor is known for being a devoted family man and the star of “Yellowstone,” playing one of TV’s toughest characters. With his quiet intensity and commanding presence, he’s become a fan favorite in one of television’s most successful dramas.
But behind the fame is a far more complicated tale. Long before the cameras rolled, he was a kid raised without a father, bouncing between towns and scraping his way into an industry that gave him nothing for free. This is his story.
The actor during the 16th Annual IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards on March 24, 2001, at Santa Monica Beach in California. | Source: Getty Images
From Ranch Life to Hollywood
This famous actor was born on a ranch just north of Santa Barbara, and his earliest memories were set against a backdrop that seemed pulled from a Western film — riding horses, roaming pastures, and growing up surrounded by the grit and freedom of open land.
At four, he and his mother moved to a 1,500-acre ranch outside Eugene, Oregon. It was an idyllic chapter of his youth, one he later described as the happiest time of his life, armed with a BB gun and a love for the outdoors.
Determined to make him earn every opportunity, his mother made it as difficult as possible for her son to pursue acting.
His mother, a self-described vagabond and hippie, lived a nomadic lifestyle. However, after several years in Oregon, she moved with her son to Clearwater, Florida — a move he later said he “wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
Though he eventually raised his own family in Florida, the transition from ranch life to the suburban sprawl of Clearwater had been difficult.
But by the time he was 12, they had returned to California. It was there, in school, that he enrolled in an acting class. However, initially, his motives had little to do with a love for performance. The star revealed:
“There were good-looking girls, and you do a few plays. But I fell in love with acting and caught the bug.”
When he told his mother he wanted to pursue acting seriously, she dropped a bombshell. Her maiden name was Warner from the Warner Bros. family. This meant he was from Hollywood royalty. Still, that legacy didn’t translate into an easy break as he experienced quite the opposite.
Determined to make him earn every opportunity, his mother made it as difficult as possible for her son to pursue acting. She would put him on a five-hour bus from their town to Los Angeles.
Once there, he would walk to the studio where his audition was being held. After just a few minutes in the room, he would head back to the station for the return trip — another five hours.
He endured this routine multiple times, and it wasn’t until he proved his dedication that his mother revealed one more family secret — his father was an actor, too. His dad was none other than Wings Hauser.
The Hollywood star had grown up without any relationship with his famous dad. He had no idea who he was until he saw him on TV around the age of nine or ten. He recalled:
“I waited for the finish of the film, and I saw Wings Hauser [in the credits]. So, I went into my mom’s room, and I said, ‘Hey, mom. I just saw a guy on TV, his name’s Wings Hauser.’ And she looked at me and went, ‘Wow!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I saw this guy.’ And she goes, ‘Yeah, well, let’s talk about that.'”
Despite learning his father’s identity as a child, he didn’t meet him until he was about 15. The Hollywood star moved to Los Angeles to live with his dad, hoping to be closer to the studios.
The two spent about a year together and got to know each other a little during that time. “I learned some things as far as the acting world and the business was concerned, but y’know, him being an actor, his career was much different than mine,” the actor shared.
The actor at “The Hi-Lo Country” premiere on December 16, 1998, at Mann Festival Theatre in Westwood, California. | Source: Getty Images
Sadly, the reunion wasn’t without its challenges. His famous father was dealing with serious substance abuse issues and couldn’t offer a stable environment. The teenager soon realized he would need to find somewhere else to live.
The teenager eventually grew into one of Hollywood’s most commanding forces.
He ended up on a PT boat docked in Marina del Rey. Living alone as a teenager might have been overwhelming for most — but not for him. He said, “That was an awesome time because it meant freedom.”
It wasn’t the conventional path to Hollywood, but it was his. And it wasn’t long before he caught his first big break — a role in the 1992 film “School Ties.”
The famous actor and his “School Ties” cast mates circa 1992. | Source: Getty Images
He was so green that the movie’s legendary cinematographer, Freddie Francis, personally worked with him after hours, teaching him how to hit his marks and block scenes properly. This paved the way for a successful career in Hollywood.
A Name Worth Remembering
The teenager who once lived alone on a boat in Marina del Rey, chasing auditions and sleeping under the stars, eventually grew into one of Hollywood’s most commanding forces. His name? Cole Hauser.
After his breakout role in “School Ties,” Cole carved out a career built on grit and intensity. But it wasn’t until “Yellowstone” that he found the role that would define him for a new generation of viewers — that of Rip Wheeler.