Cole Hauser

Cole Hauser is an American actor known for his intense and versatile performances across film and television. He first gained significant attention in the 1990s with roles in acclaimed independent films like *Dazed and Confused* and *Good Will Hunting*. Hauser has since built a prolific career, transitioning between supporting roles in major studio productions such as *2 Fast 2 Furious* and *Tears of the Sun* and leading parts in television series, most notably as ranch foreman Rip Wheeler on the hit Paramount Network series Yellowstone.

Early life and education

Cole Kenneth Hauser was born in Santa Barbara, California, into a family with deep roots in the entertainment industry. His father, Wings Hauser, is an actor, and his mother, Cass Warner, is a film producer and the granddaughter of Harry Warner, a co-founder of Warner Bros.. Through his mother, he is also related to film producer Milton Sperling and actress Tovah Feldshuh. His parents divorced when he was young, and he spent parts of his childhood in Oregon and Florida. Hauser attended a Santa Monica high school but left to pursue acting, moving to Los Angeles to begin his career.

Career

Hauser made his film debut in *School Ties* (1992), sharing the screen with Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon. His breakout role came the following year as the antagonistic Benny O'Donnell in Richard Linklater's cult classic *Dazed and Confused*. He continued to build credibility in the independent film scene with a powerful performance as a abusive boyfriend in *Good Will Hunting* (1997), directed by Gus Van Sant. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, Hauser appeared in a wide range of genres, including the war film *Tigerland* (2000) with Colin Farrell, the action sequel *2 Fast 2 Furious* (2003), and the military drama *Tears of the Sun* (2003) alongside Bruce Willis. He starred in the science fiction film *Pitch Black* (2000) as a mercenary, a role that gained a cult following. On television, he had a leading role in the ABC series *High Incident* and later starred in the CW drama Rogue. His career reached new heights in 2018 when he was cast as the formidable Rip Wheeler on Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone.

Personal life

Hauser married actress and former *Sweet Valley High* star Cynthia Daniel in 2006. The couple has three children and divides their time between residences in California and Montana. An avid outdoorsman, Hauser enjoys activities like hunting and fishing, interests that align with his role on Yellowstone. He is also involved in philanthropic efforts, including supporting the Navy SEAL Foundation and various veterans' charities.

Filmography

A selected list of his film and television work includes: *School Ties (1992) *Dazed and Confused (1993) *Good Will Hunting (1997) *Pitch Black (2000) *Tigerland (2000) *2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) *Tears of the Sun (2003) *The Break-Up (2006) *Yellowstone (2018–present)

Awards and nominations

For his performance as Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone, Hauser received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2022. His work in film has also been recognized, including a Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male for his role in *Tigerland*. Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:1975 births Category:Living people