Taylor Sheridan is seemingly getting to be like Greta Garbo. Successful, in demand, and highly elusive. With a profusion of megahit TV dramas on the air, he is the medium's new colossus. In fact, Sheridan's vision of the modern American West is so compelling that viewers can't get enough of it.
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The latest entry into the expanding ecosphere he crafted is Dutton Ranch. It hit the small screen in mid-May. The Paramount+ series follows Yellowstone characters Rip Wheeler, played by Cole Hauser, and Beth Dutton, who is brought to feisty, three-dimensional life by Kelly Reilly. They make a new life for themselves in Texas, but it is not without some whopping challenges and pitfalls. They encounter a thorny nemesis or two along the way. Among them are Beulah (Annette Bening) and her ally, Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba).
What is interesting off-screen is the fact that several stars of Dutton Ranch reportedly claim they never even met Taylor Sheridan. Per Page Six, they are Juan Pablo Raba, James Eddie, Marc Menchaca, and Sterlin English.
Executive Producer and Director Christina Voros Seems To Carry the Load
With Taylor Sheridan allegedly a shadowy presence behind Dutton Ranch, exec producer Christina Voros apparently takes the reins. At least one star - Marc Menchaca - says that things are running smoothly. Per the outlet, "...Menchaca told Page Six that...director and executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros — who is Sheridan's 'trusted confidant' — 'steered the ship' throughout filming."
Another person who has evidently stepped up off camera is actor Cole Hauser. He's an executive producer. Menchaca sang his praises. He shared with the outlet, "It's good to work with somebody who is so knowledgeable about the world, and also has a hand in where the story is going. He was a good shoulder to lean on."
Some of the Actors Went Through "Cowboy Camp"
For the sake of authenticity, some of the Dutton Ranch stars had to burnish their cowboy cred with real-life practice. Their abilities varied.
Sterlin English, for example, per the outlet, came from a cowboy-style background. Even so, he still got in some refresher time. His on-screen role model is reportedly the late Robert Duvall. The Godfather star's Western-themed projects included classics like Lonesome Dove and Tender Mercies. Duvall landed an Academy Award for the latter.
