“Yellowstone” co-creator Taylor Sheridan allegedly dropped his lawsuit against one of his lead actors, Cole Hauser, reports suggested Monday.
Sheridan was suing Hauser over their competing coffee brands. Sheridan’s coffee brand comes under his empire, Bosque Ranch, and was launched in August 2023. Shortly thereafter, Hauser bought his own cowboy-themed coffee company with a very similar aesthetic to Sheridan’s advertising … so Sheridan hit him with a serious copyright infringement suit.
“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 noted, according to RadarOnline.
‘Yellowstone’ Star Physically Fought Taylor Sheridan Years Before Their Lawsuit | @DailyCaller https://t.co/seQyFQwMX3
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) December 7, 2023
But just 25 days after Sheridan hit Hauser with the suit, it looks like it’s all gone away. Sheridan decided to have the suit dismissed “with prejudice,” the report noted, suggesting the situation was settled out of court, and Sheridan cannot refile the lawsuit at any time in the future.
I also think it is incredibly stupid of Hauser to build his entire identity around being a cowboy. Firstly, he ain’t a cowboy. He’s an actor. And “Yellowstone” has already been cut short by an entire season, so who knows if Hauser will ever play one again. Sheridan, however, eats, sleeps and breathes ranching as his true passion — being a writer and creative clearly comes second, as far as can be gathered from the few interviews he gives. (RELATED: ‘Yellowstone’ Fans Can Rejoice! More Prequels Are Coming)
Hauser, despite the difference in their lived experience, still decided to build the vibe of his brand around the cowboy aesthetic Sheridan created and gave to him. Surely it would have been better for Hauser to build his celebrity around his own personality instead? I bet there’s a heck of a lot more to him than just one television series, but maybe we’ll never know.