Knowing some of the behind-the-scenes details of Yellowstone helps make the Dutton family saga even better. In the past, it used to be a given that a movie star would never front a television series. However, the so-called golden age of TV – exemplified by shows such as The Sopranos or Breaking Bad – saw the reputation of the medium shoot up rapidly. In the ’80s or ’90s, it would have been unthinkable for a name like Kevin Costner to play the lead in a long-running series, but that’s exactly what happened with Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone.
This modern-day Western follows Costner’s John Dutton as he desperately tries to hold on to the sprawling ranch, as various competing interests try to take it away. Yellowstone has not only become one of the most watched TV shows in America but there’s a whole universe of Yellowstone spinoffs too, including prequels 1883 and 1923. Yellowstone is set to end with the upcoming second half of season 5, as Costner wishes to move on to other projects.
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Yellowstone Is Filmed At A Working Ranch
The Yellowstone ranch itself plays a major role in the show and has become an iconic location in its own right. The ranch is “played” by Chief Joseph Ranch, a working cattle ranch located in Darby, Montana. Chief Joseph Ranch contained everything the show needed, including cabins, corrals, the bunkhouse, barns and so on. Naturally, fans of Yellowstone want to visit this location, so when filming is over guests can book to stay there and get guided tours of both the ranch and various filming locations.
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The Yellowstone Cast Undergoes An Annual “Cowboy Camp”
Yellowstone co-creator Sheridan is an accomplished cowboy himself in real life, having grown up working on a ranch. In fact, he owns cattle and horse operations in Texas, and supplies most of the horses seen on Yellowstone. Authenticity is important to the showrunner, so not only does he insist that the actors learn to ride for the series, but they must attend a Cowboy Camp each year to brush up on their skills, including herding cattle and roping. This is what helps makes the show feel like the real thing.
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Cole Hauser Didn’t Even Have To Audition For Rip
Rip has become a real audience favorite on Yellowstone, which is largely thanks to Cole Hauser’s performance. It’s tough to picture another actor in the role now, and it turns out that Sheridan felt the same way. He revealed in a Deadline interview that he saw an “intensity” and “clarity” to Hauser, and that “There is no subtext with the guy and that’s what I really liked. Because Rip has no subtext.” He also claims to have liked Hauser’s work in Pitch Black and Bruce Willis’ vehicle Tears of the Sun, and that he didn’t even audition the actor for Rip.
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Yellowstone Could Have Ended After Season 1
Again, it was a big deal securing a star like Costner for a TV series, and he was paid handsomely for his involvement. However, during an interview with Good Morning America, he reveals Yellowstone was pitched to him as a one-and-done season, like his Hatfields & McCoys miniseries. It was only after he signed on did Paramount start thinking it could become a long-running show, w ith Costner believing that if he had pulled out at that point, Yellowstone may have “crumbled.” Certainly, if he had refused to commit to a second season, it likely would have ended much earlier.
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The Yellowstone Cast Is Filled With Real-Life Cowboys
Speaking to Sheridan’s quest for verisimilitude, Yellowstone is filled with real cowboys in the supporting cast. There’s Sheridan himself, who plays horse trader Travis Wheatley, but there’s also Forrie J Smith (Lloyd), Jake Ream (Jake), Ryan Bingham (Walker) and Ethan Lee (Ethan). Smith is arguably the most experienced of the bunch, having years of rodeo and stunt work behind him before joining Yellowstone, while Ream worked as a wrangler on the series before joining the cast.
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Taylor Sheridan Plays Travis Because He Was The Only Actor With The Necessary Experience
Continuing on in the cowboy vein, the only reason Sheridan plays Wheatley is that he simply couldn’t find another actor. Wheatley is an expert in horse riding and rodeo, but when Sheridan couldn’t find a performer with the necessary skills or experience, he took it on himself. Travis is actually one of two Yellowstone roles Sheridan plays. In prequel 1883, he portrayed the real-life figure of Charlie Goodnight, a cowboy and rancher who is known as the “Father of the Texas Panhandle.”
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Kelly Reilly Is Yellowstone’s “Best Rider,” But She Rarely Rides
In the aforementioned Deadline conversation, Sheridan discusses who among the main Yellowstone cast is the best at horse riding. The showrunner revealed that “Ironically, the person who gets to ride the least, Kelly Reilly, is the best rider. She grew up riding.” This is ironic because Reilly’s Beth Dutton doesn’t particularly like riding horses, and while she’s gotten to ride some more in later seasons, it’s still a rarity to see Beth on horseback.
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The Duttons’ Chef Gator Is A Real Celebrity Chef
Yellowstone viewers are well-versed in how awkward a Dutton family dinner can be, especially if Beth is angry at somebody. The Duttons’ chef is gentle giant Gator, who is played by professional chef Gabrielle “Gator” Guilbeau. He has worked craft service on movies like The Maze Runner and Terminator Genisys, in addition to Sheridan’s thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead. After making an appearance as Gator on Yellowstone season 1, Guilbeau has since become a recurring cast member.
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Yellowstone’s Walker Is An Oscar-Winning Singer/Songwriter
As well as being a rodeo rider, Walker actor Ryan Bingham is an acclaimed musician in his own right. In fact, Sheridan created Walker just for Bingham after they first met on Wind River. Sheridan often gets to sing and perform his own songs in character on Yellowstone, and his songs have been heard in movies such as Nicolas Cage’s Joe, Father Stu and Crazy Heart. In the case of the latter, Bingham’s song “The Weary Kind” won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for “Best Original Song,” while it also nabbed “Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media” at The Grammys.
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Kevin Costner Recorded A Tales From Yellowstone Album
In addition to acting and directing, Costner also fronts a band called Modern West, who in 2020 released a concept album dubbed Tales From Yellowstone. As the name implies, this Yellowstone album is told from the perspective of Costner’s John Dutton and features songs like “The Man I Am,” “Poison in My Heart” and “Heaven’s Gate,” which features vocals by Costner’s daughter Lily.