Cole Hauser has become one of Hollywood’s most dependable actors, building a steady career that now supports an estimated net worth of $10 million in 2025. From his early days in cult classics like Dazed and Confused to his commanding role on the hit series Yellowstone, Cole’s journey shows what happens when talent and family legacy meet grit and smart choices.
Early Years and Hollywood Bloodline
Cole Kenneth Hauser was born on March 22, 1975, in Santa Barbara, California. Acting runs deep in his family tree. His mother, Cass Warner, founded the Warner Sisters production company, and his father, Wings Hauser, is an actor. His great-grandfather was Harry Warner, one of the original Warner Bros. studio founders. So while Cole didn’t just walk into fame, he certainly had cinema in his veins from the start.
Raised mostly by his mom after his parents divorced when he was two, Cole’s childhood was a patchwork of states, from Oregon to Florida and back to California. He was athletic and competitive, but books didn’t hold his attention for long. By sixteen, he left high school behind to chase acting full-time.
Breakout Roles in the 90s
Cole’s break came fast once he stepped in front of the camera. He joined an ensemble of future A-listers in 1992’s School Ties, sharing the screen with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Brendan Fraser. Just a year later, he reunited with Affleck for Richard Linklater’s now-iconic coming-of-age flick Dazed and Confused.
One of his boldest early roles was Higher Learning (1995), where he played the unsettling leader of a campus skinhead gang. It showed Cole wasn’t afraid to take on challenging or unlikable parts, a trait that helped him stand out.
By the late 90s, he was part of the Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting, alongside his now-famous co-stars Damon and Affleck again. He finished the decade strong with The Hi-Lo Country, sharing the screen with Woody Harrelson and Penélope Cruz.
Becoming a Reliable Hollywood Player
The early 2000s solidified Cole’s status as a bankable supporting actor. He showed range in the cult sci-fi hit Pitch Black and earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Tigerland with Colin Farrell. Action films soon followed, including Hart’s War and Tears of the Sun, both with Bruce Willis. His role as a Miami drug kingpin in 2 Fast 2 Furious added another big franchise to his resume.
Hauser often jumped between genres. He was a menacing villain in Paparazzi and showed off his comedic side with Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston in The Break-Up. His work ethic kept him booked through the 2000s with projects like The Cave, Dirty, The Family That Preys, and indie films like Like Dandelion Dust.
TV Success and Yellowstone
While Cole built his film career, television gave him steady paychecks and loyal fans. He played a tough cop in High Incident in the 90s and popped up on ER and K-Ville in the 2000s. By 2010, he starred in NBC’s Chase and later on DirecTV’s Rogue.
But his game-changing role arrived in 2018 as Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone. As the fiercely loyal ranch foreman and right-hand man to Kevin Costner’s John Dutton, Cole’s brooding performance turned him into a fan favorite. Yellowstone has since become one of cable’s biggest hits, with spinoffs and global streaming deals boosting his profile and income.
Big Screen Work in Recent Years
Even with TV success, Cole keeps his film credits alive. In the 2010s, he appeared in thrillers like Transcendence with Johnny Depp, A Good Day to Die Hard, and Olympus Has Fallen. He was back to his sports roots with The Last Champion and continued to headline indie action films like Panama and Multi.
Family and Personal Life
Away from the screen, Cole is a family man. He married Cynthia Daniel in 2006. Cynthia starred in Sweet Valley High and now works as a photographer. Together they have three kids — sons Ryland and Colt, and daughter Steely Rose. Cynthia’s twin sister is actress Brittany Daniel.
Despite his Hollywood lineage, Cole keeps his personal life pretty low-key. He prefers ranch life and family time when he’s not on set wrangling cattle with his Yellowstone castmates.
Real Estate Moves
Cole has made smart real estate moves along the way. In 2010, he and Cynthia bought a sprawling 3-acre ranch property in Agoura Hills, California, for $2.33 million. They sold it in 2022 for $4.375 million, nearly doubling their investment.
In 2021, they bought a waterfront estate in Stuart, Florida, for $4.2 million. This stunning 7,000-square-foot mansion has its own wine cellar, a massive master suite, two elevators, a pub-style bar, and 135 feet of waterfront. It’s the perfect retreat for a star who prefers quiet over red carpets.
How Cole Hauser’s Net Worth Keeps Growing
Cole’s $10 million net worth today comes from a smart mix of steady acting roles, TV paychecks, film royalties, and real estate. Yellowstone has given him a fresh wave of fame, and with spinoffs and more seasons coming, his earnings should keep climbing.
He’s proof that you don’t need to chase blockbuster headlines to have a solid career. By choosing consistent work and playing complex roles, Cole Hauser remains one of Hollywood’s quietest success stories.
Final Word
From teenage rebel to rugged cowboy, Cole Hauser’s journey is as steady as it gets in Hollywood. He comes from film royalty but carved his own path with hard work and a passion for telling tough stories. With Yellowstone keeping his star bright, don’t expect his $10 million fortune to stand still for long.