‘Dutton Ranch': Ed Harris Said He Felt ‘Misled’ + Wanted to Leave Before His Contract Ended

Ed Harris says that he felt so dissatisfied with his Dutton Ranch role, he was ready to break his two-season contract and walk away halfway through filming Season 1.

In conversation with Variety, the actor specifically points to a moment early in filming when a scene of him singing was cut from an episode. That, he says, was one of the reasons why he felt that his character was being underutilized onscreen.

READ MORE: Taylor Sheridan Will Be More Involved In Season 2 of Dutton Ranch 

Harris, who plays veterinarian Everett McKinney in the Paramount+ series, says he felt "underused and inconsequential" in the show's first season, and he had a conversation with producers that he hopes will lead to him having "more to do" when Season 2 begins filming early next year.

Why Did Ed Harris Feel "Misled" About His Dutton Ranch Role?

Harris spoke to Variety on Monday (July 20) at the premiere of Apple TV show The Dink.

"I felt a little bit misled," he said of his Dutton Ranch role. "Prior to me signing on for it, I was talked to quite a bit about what the season was and what my character was...and that I was one of the four main characters, and that wasn't really the case."

He said that before he agreed to the show, he'd been told his character was going to sing in one episode — but that scene wound up getting cut.

"They cut the song out. I'm like, 'F--k you people.' We did it, and they never showed it," he recalls. "They said it was too 'up' for the dark ending of that episode. And that to me was enough reason to say, 'Okay, I'm voiding my contract.'"

"Midway through the season, I was ready to say, 'Get me the f--k out of here,' to tell you the truth," Harris continues. "Because I didn't feel like I was being used."

Will Ed Harris Return For Season 2 of Dutton Ranch?

It seems that way.

Harris told Variety that Dutton Ranch will start filming Season 2 in February, and that he's had a conversation about his frustrations with how his character played out in Season 1.

"I said, 'I'm feeling underused and inconsequential.' And they went, 'Oh,'" he recounts. "...I'm being told that my character will have a little bit more to do [in Season 2]. It just was a little frustrating, to tell you the truth."

READ MORE: 'Dutton Ranch' + 'Marshals' Crossover Confirmed? Season 1 Ending Explained

Harris also says that when he watched Dutton Ranch, he thought it was "pretty good" and that his character seemed "relatively important to the story."

"But the doing of it did not feel that way," he adds.

What Is Dutton Ranch About?

Dutton Ranch features former Yellowstone stars Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly reprising their career-altering roles as Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton.

READ MORE: Dutton Ranch: 10 Burning Questions Season 1 Must Answer

In this spinoff, Wheeler and Dutton relocate from Montana to Texas and start fresh with a new ranch, but they run into trouble with new rivalries and a massive drug-smuggling cartel operation.

Season 1 of Dutton Ranch premiered in May. The show's second season doesn't have an official air date yet, but it's expected sometime in 2027.