Frustrated Ed Harris Tried to Quit Taylor Sheridan’s New Yellowstone Series After Being “Misled”
Taylor Sheridan makes shows with huge scope, sweeping scenery, and plenty of big stars. Yellowstone sequel series, Dutton Ranch, is no exception with Hollywood veteran Ed Harris among the cast list. In a startling new interview, though, Harris has suggested that his appearance in the show was not exactly a great experience thanks to him being “misled” about the role.
Usually when speaking to the press, actors are on-script with their answers to questions about their latest movies and TV shows. Seeing Harris openly share some grievances about Dutton Ranch with Variety took many by surprise as he aired his frustration with barely contained annoyance.
According to Harris, he was told before signing on that he would be one of the main characters in the Yellowstone follow-up. By the time he completed filming on the first season, he came to realize that this was not exactly the case, and it left him feeling “underused and inconsequential.” When raising his concerns with the production staff, he fumed that he was simply met with a muted, “Oh,” in response. Check out Harris’s comments in the video below.
The moment that seems to have stung most involved a scene in which his character was meant to sing at the end of an episode. Harris says he filmed the scene, but it was completely cut from the episode, and he was told it was too “up” for the ending the episode needed. This didn’t go down well with the actor, which is clear to see in the interview before he seems to be moved along by an aide.
A Familiar Kind of Friction in Sheridan’s Empire
Dutton Ranch is one of several spinoffs centered on the characters that debuted in Taylor Sheridan’s mammoth Yellowstone series. Focusing on Kelly Reilly’s Beth and Cole Hauser’s Rip, the series arrived back in May to the usual No. 1 placing on Paramount+, proving that fans still cannot get enough of what Sheridan is offering.
However, as the franchise has continued to grow, Harris is not the first big name to take issue with how things are handled. The franchise has weathered plenty of behind-the-scenes drama already, most famously the very public falling-out with Kevin Costner, and Sheridan’s habit of juggling enormous ensembles can leave actors feeling like an afterthought in the huge production machine.
Harris signed on for two seasons of Dutton Ranch, with him saying that his character has “more to do” in the second of those. That makes it odder for him to seemingly be burning bridges already. Sheridan and Costner’s final run-ins prove that no one is indispensable. Harris’s character could yet find himself making an earlier departure from the show than he expects.
For now, though, Harris’s interview is just an insight into how even the longest-serving stars of the industry are not always happy with how things work in fast-moving franchises like Taylor Sheridan’s. Whether that is all it remains when Harris returns to work on the second season is a whole other ball game. No doubt we will soon know about it if the next round of filming also fails to live up to the actor’s expectations.
Dutton Ranch is available to stream on Paramount+.
(features image: Paramount+)
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