Ed Harris Felt 'Misled' About His Role on 'Dutton Ranch'

Ed Harris felt misled about the significance of his role on the Paramount+ series "Dutton Ranch." The actor revealed his frustration in an interview with Variety at a premiere this week.

Harris said he was told prior to signing on that he would be one of the four main characters. "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," Harris told Variety. "And that wasn’t really the case."

How Did Harris Voice His Discontent?

Halfway through filming the first season, Harris was so dissatisfied he told his team to "get me the fuck out of here." He brought his concerns to the producers. "I said, ‘I’m feeling underused and inconsequential,’ and they kind of went, ‘Oh,'" Harris added.

His frustration was compounded when a specific scene was cut. Harris recalled filming a moment where his character, Everett McKinney, was supposed to sing in a bar. "So there’s this scene in there … I’m talking to [Beth Dutton] at the bar, and [Rip Wheeler] comes in and says, ‘OK, Everett, come on, it’s your turn,'" he said. The production told him the song was cut because it was "too ‘up’ for the dark ending of that episode." Harris said that "really pissed him off."

What Happens Next for His Character?

Despite his frustrations, Harris is currently signed on for two seasons of the show. I was just a little frustrated, to tell you the truth," he said.

The series, which premiered on May 15, follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they build a new ranch in South Texas.