A forgotten revenge thriller from 2004 madeYellowstone’sCole Hauser the lead over co-stars like Matthew McConaughey and Chris Rock.Cole Hauser’s movie CVis a long and storied one, with the star having first made an impression in the likes ofDazed and ConfusedandGood Will Hunting. It was the shock success of 2000’sPitch Blackthat was his real breakout, alongside co-star Vin Diesel. Hauser has rarely stopped working since, but his most famous role is easilyYellowstone’sRip Wheeler.
Rip is the eternally loyal right-hand man of John Dutton (Kevin Costner) in the modern Western saga and is willing to go to any lengths to protect his adopted family.With Costner’s highly publicized exit from theTaylor Sheridan series, it appears Hauser will become even more important toYellowstone’sfuturemoving forward too. Hauser still works on the occasional film project too, including 2022’sThe Minute You Wake Up Deadalongside Morgan Freeman.
The Best Order To Watch Yellowstone & Its Many Spinoffs
The Yellowstone universe has begun to grow, sprouting several spinoff series which span several generations. Here’s the proper viewing order.
Cole Hauser’s Paparazzi Features A Host Of Major Cameos
This 2004 thriller was Cole Hauser’s shot at leading man status
Following the success ofPitch Black, studios saw movie star potential in Hauser. He was soon given major roles in blockbusters like war dramaTears of the Sunwith Bruce Willis and played the lead villain Carter Verone in2 Fast 2 Furious.The first true test of Hauser’s leading man potential was 2004’sPaparazzi, which - in a pleasingly meta twist - involves a popular young actor being courted for stardom, though he is also tormented by an amoral band of tabloid photographers.
… Chris Rock, Vince Vaughn, Matthew McConaughey and even producer Mel Gibson make surprise appearances in Paparazzi.
One fun element ofPaparazziis how many cameos it packs into a brief runtime, with Chris Rock, Vince Vaughn, Matthew McConaughey and even producer Mel Gibson making surprise appearances. This is often during scenes where Hauser’s Bo is appearing at glitzy premieres or working on his latest action epic,Adrenaline Force 2, an obvious parody ofGibson’sLethal Weaponmovies.
These cameos are a pleasant distraction from a narrative that often fails to engage. Whatever its faults, the film at least has a great supporting cast, from the ever-reliable Dennis Farina as the detective investigating Bo’s case to Tom Sizemore as the repellent main paparazzo, Rex Harper. It’s up to the cast to breathe life into thinly written parts, and while Hauser makes for a likable lead,Paparazzifails to make Bo’s leap from soft-spoken actor to calculating vigilante feel even a little convincing.
Dennis Farina felt so real in law enforcement roles because he spent 18 years as a cop in Chicago, before moving into acting following a small role in Michael Mann’sThief.
Hauser’s Paparazzi Character Is The Total Opposite Of Yellowstone’s Rip
Yellowstone’s Rip wreaks bloody vengeance on a weekly basis
Gibson is said to have conceived ofPaparazzi’shook, suggesting a celebrity seeking revenge on sleazy tabloid journalists would make for a great revenge story.Paparazziwants to be a cathartic tale of vengeance that comments on the state of the media but it is stranded within a bland PG-13 thrillerframework. The film needed to be much darker and murkier because, despite acts like beating a man to death with a baseball bat (albeit, offscreen),Paparazzialways has to frame Bo as a nice guy pushed too far.
It’s kind of startling to compare Hauser’sPaparazzicharacter withYellowstone’sRip, especially as the latter fits him much better. Bo and Rip are both from Montona and are fiercely loyal to their families, but that’s about where the similarities end. Bo is bright-eyed and naive about his Hollywood journey, and it’s only when the paparazzi cause an accident that puts his son in a coma that he decides to seek revenge.
Rip, on the other hand, is world-weary and no-nonsense and is used to dealing with the Dutton clan’s messy affairs on a regular basis.HadPaparazzi’stitular villains come to the ranch, Bo likely would have been taking them toYellowstone’sinfamous “Train Station"by the endof the episode.
Why Paparazzi Was So Badly Received
Cole Hauser deserved a better leading vehicle
There is a version ofPaparazzithat could have been a guilty pleasure, but the film’s execution is severely lacking. Despite selling itself as an action thriller, it’s light on either actionorthrills, and its commentary is far too on the nose. The car accident that puts Bo’s young son in a coma intentionally invokes the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, butit has nothing insightful to say about topics like freedom of the press or the rights of celebrities to privacy.
Paparazzihad the potential to be far more controversial and provocative than it ended up being, but instead, it’s the worst thing it possibly could be: dull.
Instead, the movie is oddly pedestrian and lacking in style, wit or saying anything deeper than “the paparazzi suck and should be nicer to poor celebrities.” The filmwas also a weak showcase for Cole Hauser as a star, giving him a two-dimensional hero who doesn’t even get any cool action scenes to perform.Paparazziwas a critical and box office bomb; it sits at a measly 18% onRotten Tomatoesand grossed only $16 million on a reported production budget of $20 million (viaThe Numbers).
Of course, any movie about a rich and famous celebrity tracking down and killing members of the press wasn’t going to receive the warmest reviews either.Paparazzihad the potential to be far more controversial and provocative than it ended up being, but instead, it’s the worst thing it possibly could be: dull.
Cole Hauser Found His Perfect Role With Yellowstone
Paparazzi was a career blip for Cole Hauser that didn’t last long
FollowingPaparazzi’sfailure, Hauser took on another lead with 2005 horror adventureThe Cave. Again, this film wasted a promising idea, and it didn’t help that rival movieThe Descentexecuted the same basic premise way better. Hauser worked constantly in the years that followed, appearing in everything fromThe Break-UptoOlympus Has Fallen, in addition to leading gritty cop dramaRogue. It wasn’t until he was cast as Rip inYellowstonethat Hauser found his perfect role, who has grown over multiple seasons from a supporting player to a lead character.
Hauser feels far more at home within the gritty confines of the Taylor Sheridan-created series than he did in Paparazzi…
Ironically,had he become a bonafide movie star, Hauser never would have been offered Ripin the first place. Hauser feels far more at home within the gritty confines of the Taylor Sheridan-created series than he did inPaparazzi, which is another reason why he popped out on the show. Again, with Costner’s exit, it seems Rip will be more important than ever to the franchise. Despite reportsthe upcoming second part ofYellowstoneseason 5would be the end, negotiations are reportedly underway for a sixth series.
Hauser no doubt learned some lessons fromPaparazzithat he took into his future roles,Yellowstoneincluded. Speaking withCowboys & Indiansin 2021, Hauser reflected on the 2004 thriller and stated that while he never had a terrible experience with tabloid photographers, he did recall an incident shortly after the movie’s release. When out shopping he encountered a paparazzo taking pictures of him and his young son, but the photographer became scared and ran off after he says Hauser gave him “…the Bo Laramie look.”
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on August 23, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
Paparazzi
Paparazzi follows a rising Hollywood actor who seeks personal revenge on four relentless photographers after they nearly cause a personal tragedy involving his family.
