Fans never know who’s going to pop up in Taylor Sheridan’s growing Yellowstone universe, and that’s part of the excitement of the journey into the Dutton family story. From 1883 to 1923 and — of course, the series that started it all, the characters who tell each version of the family history aren’t just incredibly well-written; they’re vulnerable, honest, and easy to love.
Of course, there are also the characters that wouldn’t ever be on someone’s MySpace top 8 or the recipient of intricately folded notes in their locker, but they’re just as important to the storylines as those we always root for. They’re the bad guys, the villains — the people who come into a scene and look like trouble. Sheridan’s talent lies in crafting characters that exist in a moral grey area, not wholly awful, but close enough that you could quickly loathe them entirely if you weren’t paying close attention. It takes all kinds of kinds to make the Yellowverse go ’round.
No one is more aware of that than those working at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, morphing into characters that tell a delicate story. Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Luke Grimes, and Wes Bentley breathe life into Rip Wheeler, Monica Dutton-Long, Kayce Dutton, and Jamie Dutton, respectively, and they recently talked about characters in the Yellowverse and who they’d love to see join their series.
From someone already in the Dutton family to an acting legend, here are the co-stars they’d most love to roll the welcome mat out for.
Cole Hauser wants to work with this legend
Cole Hauser breathes life into Rip Wheeler, ranch hand and right-hand man to the patriarch and ranch owner John Dutton and beloved husband of John’s daughter, Beth. His familial ties to the Dutton family are stronger than just a blood relation; he would give anything to support and protect the family they’ve created, including laying down his own life.
So who would he choose to work alongside him in Yellowstone, and which high-caliber actor would he invite to the series? His answer has us dreaming of a future that looks just like this.
“For me, I would love to have Morgan Freeman. I just did a film with Morgan, and he loves the show. I mean, he loves the Western world. I mean, as you know, he’s done some pretty spectacular stuff when it comes to it but I would love to see Morgan Freeman on the show, and it would make him happy and I love him dearly. So I want to make him happy.”
That’s right, Hauser would love to invite the legendary Morgan Freeman himself to the ranch, but it’s not just because they’re good friends — it’s because Freeman really enjoys Yellowstone, and his long-time fans know that he’s no stranger to Westerns. We can imagine Freeman walking in as an ally to the Duttons, someone close to Hauser and Kevin Costner’s John Dutton — maybe someone who could help solve some of the recent problems at the ranch. The possibilities are endless, and we can’t wait to see if the powers that be are paying attention and might give Hauser his big wish.
Wes Bentley’s dream co-star
A polarizing character within the Yellowstone realm, Jamie Dutton has more enemies than friends, including amid his own family. Wes Bentley brings a sense of likability to the character, despite his terrible decisions and choices that would otherwise make him one of the most loathed characters on television. It’s a nod to Bentley’s talent; fans still root for Jamie, even if it’s not an active sense of cheerleading on the sidelines.
While Jamie might not be a fan favorite, the story has progressed dramatically because of his character and his storyline, so it’s hard to negate his impact on Yellowstone, even if you don’t love the character. Who would Bentley most love to bring to the ranch? Is there someone he could see teaming up with to finally take down his own family? His response is yet another icon in the entertainment industry.
“Lady Gaga, Just because she’s a friend and I loved working with her. I think she could be an interesting character with the market equities crew or she could be an interesting singer on the show. I’m not a writer, so I can’t come up with anything clever right now. But she’s, she’s got the skill to play many things.”
Lady Gaga herself rolling into the Yellowstone via horseback? We can dig it. Or would she speed in via an ultra-expensive car, dressed to rival even Beth Dutton’s hottest looks? There are so many options in how this could play out, and we’d love to see any one of them. Plus, with Bentley and Gaga having an off-screen bond, we’d love to see what they bring to the table for one another.
Luke Grimes is hoping for a masterful addition to the cast
Luke Grimes breathes life into the handsome and compassionate character that is Kayce Dutton, and he does so with so much talent that it’s hard to see where Luke ends and Kayce begins. He’s the softest member of the Dutton family, but in a way that also makes him the strongest and most stable. He’s a husband, father, son, brother, and confidant for anyone who needs one; he encompasses quiet confidence, an unmatched strength, and the glue that unknowingly holds everyone together.
When Grimes looks forward to the future of Yellowstone, is there a particular actor or actress he’d most love to welcome to the ranch? Is there someone he’d love to work alongside for better or worse? His response, you guessed it, has us dreaming of a future where this masterclass waltzes into the Yellowstone.
“Meryl Streep – That’d be cool.”
He went on to speak more about what Streep could do in the series as co-star Asbille began explaining her dream cast addition.
Kelsey Asbille’s dream (sort of) already came true
Kelsey Asbille plays the often-loved yet sometimes loathed character Monica, and things in the Yellowstone realm have caused her character a great deal of pain; at the same time, they’ve given her a great deal of magic and wonder. She’s experienced a great sense of loss during her time at the Yellowstone, but she’s also found a life-affirming love; her character is integral to the series and holds the most significant piece of Kayce’s heart.
For Asbille, who does she hope to see join the series as part of the Dutton family? Well, her dream co-star is already in the Yellowverse somewhere; they just so happen to have existed in a different timeline. She shared with Grimes that Harrison Ford is the co-star she’d love a scene with. That’s right: 1923‘s own Jacob Dutton.
“I was gonna say like, I’m just excited that I’m related by marriage…to Harrison Ford. Just keep it there. Maybe I’ll dream of him next season.
You seem very excited about this prospect of Harrison,” Grimes told her. Asbille says that it’s an exciting thing to be a part of, but her dream can’t really come true in the way she would initially hope, simply because he’s already in the Dutton family.
“Well, he’s in the spinoff, so — he doesn’t exist anymore.”
“True, he could wear like a nose prosthetic or something that’ll make him look totally different. Yeah. Who would Meryl play? Like a new like, you know, the baddie. There’s always like a big baddie each season. Let’s get her in a cowboy hat. You know, we haven’t seen that. I don’t.. have we seen that?”
The answer is no, and both Grimes and Asbille joked that you heard it from them first. Having Streep join the cast as a character who loves or loathes the Duttons would be a real treat, but after Grimes placed the idea of her being a baddie in our minds, we can’t stop thinking about it. Streep has taken on roles like Sophie Zawistowski, Miranda Priestly, Margaret Thatcher, and Aunt March — to name a few. She’s embodied several types of characters, from the strict and uptight to the beloved and vulnerable, but she can undoubtedly own sass like no one else.
She would be an iconic baddie in the Yellowverse; someone audiences would even fear from the safety of their own homes. Streep could easily walk in and cause a stir, and while we wouldn’t want to root for anyone going against the Duttons, she might be a character with a growing fanbase with each new episode.
Of course, fans know that Asbille’s pick is already interwoven into the Yellowverse as Jacob Dutton, the patriarch, and leader in 1923. While it would be impossible for him to walk into the Yellowstone series as Jacob, Asbille’s dream can become a reality — and yes, we see the irony in that. It’s possible that Asbille would dream of the Duttons of days past, especially as she continues to reason with being part of the Dutton family, appreciating that safety and knowing that it has painted a giant target on her back. Perhaps Jacob could send her words of wisdom in the dream-like state; we’re here for it.
