Finn Little teases Carter’s Dutton Ranch story in season 1, and whether he will evolve into a new version of Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser). Executive produced by Taylor Sheridan and created by Chad Feehan, Dutton Ranch premieres with two episodes on Friday, May 15, on Paramount+.
Introduced in Yellowstone season 4, Carter was essentially adopted by Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) against Rip’s wishes, at first. Dutton Ranch sees Carter join Beth and Rip as they leave Montana and stake their claim on a new ranch in South Texas. After spending the last few years of his life as Yellowstone Dutton Ranch’s “low man,” Dutton Ranch promises many new opportunities for Carter.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley at Dutton Ranch‘s press junket, Finn Little talks about Carter’s trajectory and whether he’s destined to become another version of Rip, or if Beth’s son will choose to carve out a new path for himself. Little asserts Carter as “his own person,” and teases “a lot of different changes” for him in Dutton Ranch season 1. Read Finn’s quote below:
ScreenRant: Let’s talk about Carter a little bit here. When we first met him in Yellowstone, it seemed like he was on track to being Rip 2.0, so to speak. Can you talk a little bit about Carter’s evolution here in Dutton Ranch and if he’s still on that track to follow in Rip’s footsteps?
Finn Little: I think partially, yeah. Carter being Rip 2.0, I think, is what attracted Beth to Carter when she met him outside of the hospital. It’s hard to say if Carter is Rip 2.0. I think he is his own person and I think that’s a big part of this season is Carter branching out and seeing what he wants to do with his life. There was a lot of different changes throughout the season, but I’m happy with the way Carter’s storyline turned out.
Rip and Carter haven’t had a harmonious relationship, and Yellowstone‘s brutal foreman more or less tortured Carter after meeting him. Yet Carter stuck it out and learned the basics of how to be a cowboy in his two seasons of Yellowstone. However, he still has a long way to go — if becoming a cowboy like Rip is something Carter actually wants.
Carter looked like he was in middle school when Beth brought him to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. However, Finn Little, who is now 19, had a growth spurt and became a young man during Yellowstone season 5’s filming delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Kevin Costner’s exit. Costner’s John Dutton even addressed how much Carter matured at the start of Yellowstone season 5.
One way Carter will follow in Rip’s footsteps is by having a teenage love interest. Beth and Rip famously began their tumultuous relationship on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch when they were teens. In Dutton Ranch, Carter meets Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), a Rio Paloma local with secrets who could be trouble hiding behind a pretty face.
Dutton Ranch naturally focuses on Beth and Rip, but Carter is also poised to get more spotlight than he had on Yellowstone. It’s a massive opportunity for Finn Little as an actor to stand out and evolve Carter.
Given Finn Little’s perspective, Carter looks to stand outside of Rip’s shadow and become his own man in Dutton Ranch, even if he does become a full-fledged cowboy.
- Release Date
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May 15, 2026
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Chad Feehan
