Saddle time keeps ‘Yellowstone’s’ Cole Hauser in shape

Cole Hauser was ready to let it rip. He was in the back of a cab in Central Park on Halloween and saw a man dressed up like his character Rip on the hit series “Yellowstone.”

“I rolled down the window and yelled, ‘Hey Rip!’” he recalls in a Zoom interview from his hotel suite in New York City the next day. “The other guy yells back, ‘Yeah!’ not knowing that it was me.”

Everyone else seems to know about Hauser’s alter ego these days. He’s a fan favorite in a cowboy hat and spurs, a tough attitude and a heart of gold in “Yellowstone,” which returns for its fifth season Sunday on the Paramount Network. (Previous seasons can be found on Peacock.)

The new season revolves around John Dutton (Kevin Costner) becoming governor of Montana while the rest of his posse continues to try to save their massive ranch from developers who want the land. “I’m under John’s roof and Rip is thrust from being foreman of the ranch into being in charge of it,” Hauser says. “Plus, there’s some really cool cowboy stuff, which is what I’m excited about the most.”

Acting is in Hauser’s blood. His great-grandfather was film mogul Harry Warner, a founding partner of Warner Bros., and his father is actor Wings Hauser. Cole Hauser has had a full career as a character actor with films including “Higher Learning,” “School Ties, “Good Will Hunting” and “Tears of the Sun.”

The 47-year-old father of three says that his real life is a good life when he follows these tips:

■ Get back in the saddle: Hauser actually fell off a horse while shooting a movie prior to doing the “Yellowstone” series. Growing up, he was an avid rider who was in the saddle since he was a child growing up in Oregon, California and Florida. Even when he was injured after that fall, he knew what he had to do. “Life is that old saying … you just gotta get back on the horse and do it,” he says. After that fall, his back gave him some trouble. “It was so bad, I couldn’t move around well and I lost a lot of strength in my stomach. But when my body was ready, I got back on the horse.”

■ Get in “horse shape”: “I love the physicality of the show,” Hauser says. The series is tough on — but also great for — the body. “What I’ve found is being on the horse all day is really good for your core and your back, plus it tones your abs and thighs and makes your pelvis strong. It builds coordination, balance, strength, endurance and flexibility. It also sharpens the mind.” But it does require a little time to warm up — and then cool down. “The first week back on the horses is brutal. I’ve been known to take many ice baths,” he adds.

■ Find a strong partner: Hauser has been happily married for 16 years to Cynthia Daniel, a former actor and photographer. They have three children: two sons and a daughter. He says the union between Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton on “Yellowstone” is strong for one reason. “It starts with (series creator) Taylor Sheridan and his writing. But I think Beth and Rip have found a strong passion and tremendous loyalty to each other.” This season, the series reveals the origin of their relationship — and how she was so mean to him back in the day. “I guess that’s what he likes. Personally, I’d be out of there,” Hauser says.

■ Turn to nature as therapy: Any stress these days comes to an end when Hauser takes a walk around the Montana set where he films “Yellowstone” or at his Florida home. Nature chills him out. “I don’t think it’s very stressful when your office is the great outdoors in Montana,” he says. “All I need when I’m stressed is to just take a hike in nature. Just going outdoors and looking at all the beauty around me takes away any stress of the day. Nature is a great way to rebalance.”

■ Sleep under the stars: Before each season of “Yellowstone,” Costner, Hauser and other cast members camp out for several days to get back into ranch mode. “We’ve camped in Utah, Montana and Texas,” Hauser says. Before the first season, they really roughed it. “We slept on rocks and foraged for food. Now it’s Season 5 and we have food and pillows and bedding — it’s still beautiful to fall asleep under the stars.”