Stars Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly have commented on the departure of showrunner Chad Feehan from the "Yellowstone" spinoff "Dutton Ranch." The news of Feehan's exit emerged shortly before the series premiered, but the show has since been renewed for a second season.
"Showrunners change all the time," Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, told The Hollywood Reporter. "This business is about adapting. We’ve been doing this for a long time. Things change. People move on."
Reilly, who stars as Beth Dutton, echoed Hauser's sentiment, stating that the cast and crew completed the first season "beautifully" with Feehan. "We finished this season together," she said. "It was a really difficult but really satisfying show to make. And so was ‘Yellowstone.’ So is anything worth making. We’re all creative minds and we all work together and I’m so proud of that."
A source had told Page Six in April that Feehan would not return for a potential second season. Feehan served as the showrunner for Season 1.
Hauser, also an executive producer on the series, emphasized the importance of ensuring all actors felt comfortable and had a voice. Reilly added that she felt a strong connection to her character, Beth, and was focused on "protecting" her portrayal.
Paramount announced the renewal for "Dutton Ranch" for a second season on Wednesday. The network reported that nearly 13 million viewers tuned in for the show's first week on streaming, making it the most-watched series on cable since 2023.
No new showrunner has been announced yet. Christina Alexandra Voros, an executive producer and director on "Dutton Ranch" who also worked on other Taylor Sheridan projects, told Page Six in May that Sheridan "is very good at pulling a team of people together that he trusts."
"Dutton Ranch" airs Fridays on the Paramount Network and streams on Paramount+.