Ed Harris is expected to return for the second season of Dutton Ranch despite revealing that he asked his representatives to get him out of the Yellowstone spinoff midway through filming its debut season.
The veteran actor said he felt “misled” about the importance of Everett McKinney, the veterinarian and Vietnam veteran he plays opposite Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler.
Harris had been told that Everett would be one of four central characters. Once production began, however, he felt underused and disconnected from the main story.
Paramount+ now lists Harris among the cast members expected to return for Season 2. The series will also have a new showrunner, Benjamin Cavell, while behind-the-scenes reporting indicates Everett is being positioned for a larger role.
Harris Said He Felt ‘Underused and Inconsequential’
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Harris discussed his experience with Variety at the premiere of his Apple TV film The Dink. “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,” he said. “And that wasn’t really the case.”
By the middle of production, Harris said he was telling his team to “get me the fuck out of here.” He also raised his concerns with producers, telling them he felt “underused and inconsequential.” Harris is under contract for two seasons and did not say that he had formally withdrawn from the show.
He acknowledged that the final edit gave Everett more importance than he had perceived while filming. “When I actually watched it, I thought it was pretty good,” he said, adding that Everett appeared “relatively important to the story.”
A Deleted Singing Scene Nearly Pushed Him Out
Harris identified one cut scene as a particular source of frustration. Everett was supposed to sing during a bar sequence involving Beth and Rip. In the scene Harris described, Everett speaks with Beth before Rip tells him that it is his turn to perform.
Harris then approaches the microphone, but the song was removed from the completed episode. Producers reportedly told Harris that the performance felt too upbeat for the episode’s dark ending. He said the decision angered him enough that he considered trying to void his contract.
Harris had expected the scene to reveal another side of Everett, whose background includes service in Vietnam and a career caring for animals in South Texas.
Deadline Linked His Complaints to the Showrunner Change
Deadline reported that Harris’ concerns contributed to the decision to replace first-season showrunner Chad Feehan. Its sources also said Harris participated in selecting Cavell as the new creative lead.
Paramount+ confirmed on June 30 that Cavell would serve as showrunner and executive producer for Season 2. His previous credits include creating SEAL Team and The Institute, co-creating The Stand and working as a writer and co-executive producer on Homeland.
Feehan left before Dutton Ranch premiered in May and has not publicly explained his departure. Paramount+, Harris and the show’s producers have not confirmed that Harris’ dissatisfaction caused the leadership change.
Everett Is Expected to Have a Larger Season 2 Role
Harris said he had been told that Everett would have “a little bit more to do” in the next season. Deadline subsequently reported that he was being kept informed as the new creative team developed the story.
Paramount+’s official Season 2 guide lists Harris among the ensemble members expected to return, alongside Reilly, Hauser, Annette Bening, Finn Little, Juan Pablo Raba, J.R. Villarreal, Marc Menchaca and Natalie Alyn Lind.
The streamer renewed Dutton Ranch on June 24 after its first two episodes reached 12.9 million viewers worldwide during their first seven days, the largest original-series launch in Paramount+ history. Season 2 remains in development, and Paramount+ has not announced a premiere date.