'Yellowstone' Creator Taylor Sheridan Suing Actor Cole Hauser

Actor Cole Hauser has been a part of Yellowstone since the beginning, working alongside stars like Kevin Costner at the ranch owned by creator and showrunner Taylor Sheridan. Off screen, however, Sheridan and Hauser are in the middle of an awkward legal kerfuffle. 

Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch, the venue where the show films, filed a lawsuit against Hauser’s coffee company Free Rein in the Northern District of Texas on Nov. 21. According to People magazine, Bosque Ranch accused Free Rein of “trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising” as a result of them using similar branding. Both companies’ logos consist of two overlapping letters. 

“Neither Hauser nor the defendants asked or received permission or authorization of Sheridan or Bosque Ranch to use a mark confusingly similar to the BR brand for virtually identical goods,” the suit claimed. Earlier this year, Bosque Ranch began selling its own Bosque Ranch Craft Coffee. 

Free Rein, like Yellowstone itself, aims to capture a time and a place in American history. “We’re not only crafting a premium coffee experience, but also paying a heartfelt homage to the American Dream,” Hauser said of the brand upon its release. “As a nation built on dreams and aspirations, we want to inspire the go-getters, the dreamers, and the believers to fuel their pursuits. Just as the American Dream knows no boundaries, we aim to exceed expectations and create a legacy of our own—one that is deeply connected to our roots and the core values that shaped us.”

Part one of the final season of Yellowstone is currently airing weekly on Paramount Network.