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"Dutton Ranch" seemed to be a big success for Paramount+. Not only did it fix the major issues fans had with fellow "Yellowstone" spin-off "Marshals," it had the biggest original series debut in Paramount+ history, bringing in 12.9 million global views in its first week. But not everything has gone smoothly. Ed Harris, who plays kind-hearted veterinarian Everett McKinney, has now said he felt "misled" by the show's producers with regard to how much his character would feature, to the extent that mid-way through filming Season 1, he was looking for a way out.
Harris spoke to Variety at the premiere of Apple TV's "The Dink," where he revealed he's signed up for two seasons of the "Yellowstone" spin-off but that he almost didn't make it through one. "Mid-way through this first season I was ready to go and say, 'Get me the f*** out of here' to tell you the truth,'" he said. When asked why, he explained, "I didn't feel I was being used. I felt a little bit misled." It seems the actor was told that Everett was a bigger role than it turned out to be. He continued: "Prior to signing on for it, I was talked to quite a bit about what the season was, and what my character was going to do and that I was one of the four main characters, and that wasn't really the case."
The Oscar nominee went on to explain how he took his concerns to the producers. "I said, 'I'm feeling underused and inconsequential,'" he said, "and they kind of went, 'Oh.'" It's not clear what conversations ensued, but clearly Harris finished out the season, which aired its finale episode on July 3, 2026. It seems, however, that there was even more that went into Harris' frustrations.
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Ed Harris almost walked away from Dutton Ranch after one specific scene was cut
In his conversation with Variety, Ed Harris went on to explain how one moment in particular almost caused him to walk away from "Dutton Ranch" Season 1. "One of the things they told me before I signed on was 'Hey, you get to sing in the bar," he said, before recalling a scene wherein Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler invites Everett McKinney up to sing at the local watering hole. Harris has showcased his musical talents in plenty of other productions, including his criminally underrated 2008 Western "Appaloosa," which closes with a song he composed and performed. It seems the "Dutton Ranch" producers weren't all that enthused about Harris' musicianship, however. As the actor explained: "I walk up to the mic, and they cut it. They cut it. They cut the song out. I'm going, 'F*** you, people.'" According to the actor, he was told the song was "too 'up' for the dark ending of that episode," and it seems this almost caused him to walk away. "That to me was reason enough to say, 'I'm voiding my contract.'"
Clearly, then, Harris didn't have the best time shooting "Dutton Ranch" Season 1, which is a shame because he brings plenty of gravitas to the series. Thankfully, it looks as though the veteran star will be sticking around for Season 2, which, according to him, starts shooting in February of next year. It seems Harris was lured back with the promise of a larger role. "I'm being told my character will have a little bit more to do [in Season 2]," he told Variety. "It just was a little frustrating, to tell you the truth."
Ed Harris is still on Dutton Ranch ... for now
"Dutton Ranch" Season 1 was the best "Yellowstone" spin-off, evoking the spirit of the mothership series and succeeding where "Marshals" had failed. But it seems to have been tumultuous behind the scenes. "Dutton Ranch" parted ways with its showrunner Chad Feehan a month prior to the show's premiere after Feehan reportedly clashed with stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser. Now, with Ed Harris claiming to have had a tough time, it seems "Dutton Ranch" is continuing the "Yellowstone" tradition of behind-the-scenes drama.
Still, it seems Harris has been kept on for now, with the actor explaining that he did watch the first season and thought it was "pretty good" and that his character was "relatively important to the story." But this is where things get tricky. "Dutton Ranch" Season 2 has us slightly worried precisely because the spin-off was sold as the Beth and Rip show but spent too much time on other characters. Annette Bening's Beulah Jackson, head of the rival 10 Petal Ranch, was essentially another main character, and at times, she overshadowed Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser's storyline. Meanwhile, Harris' character was used just enough to support the two series leads, even if the actor himself felt he should have been given more to do. If the writers go into Season 2 with the intent to give Harris more screen time, we might once again be heading for a series that sidelines its main characters.
Reilly previously told TVInsider, "I think Season 2 is going to feel very much more Ed's show. This is not the Beth and Rip show." Clearly she and the rest of the team are eager to accommodate Harris' concerns, but it's not entirely clear whether that will be for the best or not.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
