Yellowstone fans rejoice as another spin-off of the much-loved series is hitting our screens - and yes, it features our faves. Dutton Ranch follows the fortunes of Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they build a new life away from Montana.
At the end of the last season of Yellowstone, Beth and Rip had found a home away from the ancestral land, where they felt safe from the constant threats they'd endured for years. Thanks to Dutton Ranch, we're now catching up with them a year on only to discover that they’ve had to restart their journey in Texas.
The ranch might bear the Dutton name, but life is very different and fraught with new challenges. ‘Moving to Texas is like moving to the moon coming from Montana,’ explains Cole. ‘The arid dry environment, cowboying is different, they speak Spanish there and Rip and Beth don't. As far as farming is concerned it's totally different.’
And it doesn’t help that the community is hardly welcoming. Especially Beulah Jackson, played by the iconic Annette Bening, who makes life difficult for the family from the moment they arrive. But there’s another new face who’ll have an important influence on Beth and Rip’s lives, vet - and veteran - Everett McKinney (Ed Harris) who has an instant rapport with Beth.
‘He’s older but not a father figure because I don't think anybody would be able to fill that role,’ Kelly tells us. ‘For all her wildness, she’s always liked good people and quiet time with Everett allows her to reflect on her own heart. It's hard for Beth to fall in love, but when she does, she does it with her whole soul. Everett is going to be someone she loves tremendously.’
Who stars in Dutton Ranch?
Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
She’s sassy, witty and knows how to hold her own in a male dominated world. Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) is intelligent and has applied her smarts to fighting to protect her family ranch and her beloved father John Dutton (Kevin Costner). His death has hit Beth hard and now it’s just Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) who gets to see her more vulnerable side.
Kelly Reilly's might be famous for playing all-American Beth Dutton, but she’s actually British. Her screen debut came at just 17 when she landed a role in Prime Suspect (1995) after writing weekly letters to the show's casting director. She went on to crime drama Above Suspicion (2009–2012), as rookie detective Anna Travis. She then crossed the Atlantic for some diverse roles: a bipolar neuroscientist in Black Box (2014), and as Jordan Semyon, the steely wife of Vince Vaughn's crime boss in True Detective (2015). Following her Celtic warrior turn in Britannia (2018) she landed the part of Beth Dutton in Yellowstone (2018–2024) which earned her nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and Hollywood Critics Association.
More recently you may have spotted Kelly in the crime drama Under Salt Marsh (2026).
On the big screen Kelly Reilly's debut came in the British comedy Maybe Baby (2000), then she played disdainful Miss Bingley in Pride & Prejudice (2005) opposite Keira Knightley, Mary Morstan in Sherlock Holmes (2009 & 2011) and most recently appeared in drama Here (2024).
Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) personifies the strong and silent type, choosing action over chatting every time. He was the loyal ranch foreman on Yellowstone and would do anything for John Dutton (Kevin Costner) even if defending the ranch meant violence and illegal acts. He is besotted with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and has a softness and patience with her which is not seen with anyone else.
Cole Hauser comes from genuine Hollywood royalty - his great-grandfather was Warner Bros. co-founder Harry Warner. He dropped out of high school at 16 to pursue acting, and has subsequently built a career spanning three decades across both film and television.
Cole made his film debut in School Ties (1992), alongside up-and-coming actors Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. He then followed it up with Richard Linklater's cult classic Dazed and Confused (1993), before being reunited with Affleck and Damon in Good Will Hunting (1997).
His profile continued to rise in the 2000s, especially after playing villain Carter Verone in the blockbuster 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), before becoming a CIA agent in A Good Day to Die Hard (2006), a broken former marine in Panama (2022) and more recently further embracing the Western in Dead Man’s Hand (2023).
On TV, Hauser starred as Officer Randy Willitz in the police crime drama High Incident (1996–1997), before sitting on the side of the criminals in Rogue (2013–2017).
Finn Little as Carter
Carter (Finn Little) became an orphan when his dad died following a drugs overdose. Life in Yellowstone transformed him from a troubled teen into a hardworking and loyal ranch hand under the care of Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) who go on to adopt him and raise them as their own. He's certainly shaping up to have the work ethic of Rip.
Finn Little is an Australian actor who began performing at just five years old, initially through commercial work and short films before rapidly ascending to international prominence.
His Hollywood breakthrough came when he secured the lead role opposite Angelina Jolie in Taylor Sheridan's action thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021). Most recently, he appeared alongside Nicolas Cage in the psychological thriller The Surfer (2024).
On the small screen Finn starred in the crime drama Reckoning (2019–2020) before Taylor wrote a series regular role especially for him in Yellowstone.
Annette Bening as Beulah Jackson
Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) is the powerful and cunning head of a major Texas ranch. She can turn on the charm when she needs to, but is ruthless when it comes to eliminating the competition. And from the moment they meet, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Beulah are at loggerheads.
Annette Bening is Hollywood royalty with a BAFTA Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for five Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award — making her one of the most nominated actresses never to have won an Oscar.
She starred opposite Warren Beatty – who she is married to - in Bugsy (1991), but her most celebrated film role came in Sam Mendes' American Beauty (1999), playing a materialistic suburban wife opposite Kevin Spacey. Further acclaimed performances followed in Being Julia (2004), Captain Marvel (2019), Death on the Nile (2022), and her Golden Globe-winning role of Diana Nyad in Nyad (2023).
Annette’s TV work is more selective, and 2024’s Apples Never Fall was her first major series.
Ed Harris as Everett McKinney
Everett McKinney (Ed Harris) radiates calm, so it’s no wonder Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) gravitates to him in the new reflecting phase she finds herself in. He’s a weathered veteran who has seen a lot more than he’s willing to speak about, now working as the local vet. He has a deep respect for the animals he treats and is pretty good at singing too. He shows compassion, grit and humour and Beth quickly realises he’s someone she can trust.
Ed Harris is one of America's most distinguished character actors, equally commanding in blockbusters, dramas and as a filmmaker and has been nominated for four Oscars. He made his film debut as astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff (1983) before major roles in The Abyss (1989), Apollo 13 (1995), and The Truman Show (1998). He then directed and starred in the Jackson Pollock biopic Pollock (2000) and was more recently been spotted in Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
You'll probably be familiar with Ed Harris’ TV work too. He played Miles Roby in the miniseries Empire Falls (2005), then became The Man in Black in the science-fiction western Westworld (2016–2022).
How does Dutton Ranch fit in with the Duttonverse?
Yellowstone - which spanned five series - might have ended in 2024, but the Duttonverse continues to expand.
So far we have the prequels, 1883 (2021–2022) and 1923 (2022–2025), and the spinoffs The Madison (2026) focusing on a new family rather than a direct Dutton saga sequel, and Marshals (2026), centred on Kayce Dutton.
Dutton Ranch has been touted as the most like a sequel to the original.
And there's plenty more to come... We can also look forward to 6666 - focusing on the legendary Four Sixes ranch in West Texas, and 1944 - a prequel set during World War II - which is set to air later this year or in early 2027.
Chronicling the lives of John Dutton and his family as they fought to protect their Montana ranch against from land developers and other outsiders, Yellowstone was a fan favourite which helps explain the wealth of spin-offs. The neo-western franchise created by Taylor Sheridan continues to enthral thanks to the Dutton’s story which stretches across decades, from the late 19th century to present day.
Where can I watch Dutton Ranch?
The nine-episode series of Dutton Ranch will air weekly on Paramount+ from Friday 15 May.
Caroline Blight has seen a lot of spin-offs in her time, but Yellowstone must be leading the way when it comes to making sure fans get maximum value!