Cole Hauser Bids Farewell to Yellowstone with Emotional Tribute

“Hopefully, we can continue to get in people’s living rooms and entertain them the way we have over the last seven years,” he says of the future of the Dutton universe

Cole Hauser is looking back on his Yellowstone experience fondly — while also looking ahead to what may come next in the Dutton universe.

Hauser, 49, who plays Rip Wheeler on the hit Paramount series, tells PEOPLE while catching up for his new collection with Lucky Brand, that he will “miss” the “unbelievable cast” of the show now that its fifth season is coming to an end.

“It’s been an unbelievable experience the last couple of weeks of just seeing people out and about and their acknowledgment of the show and the character and what it’s meant to them,” he says of fan reception to the long-awaited Yellowstone return, which took place on Nov. 10, nearly two years after its last episode was released.

“For me, to be able to do that, to educate people, enlighten and entertain them is always the dream,” he adds of his work on the show.

With the Yellowstone season finale airing Dec. 15, Hauser is questioning what’s next for the Duttons, and where his character may fall into it all.

“I think America has spoken. They still love the show. There’s obviously just tons of people that every Sunday get together with their families, and we give them the experience of taking ’em out of their own living rooms and putting ’em in Montana and entertaining them,” he shares. “And I think ultimately it’s just that simple.”

L-R: Finn Little as Carter and Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler on ‘Yellowstone’.

Paramount

Although he remains mum on specific details, Hauser teases, “We will see what happens over the next year or so and we’ll see what’s next. Hopefully, we can continue to get in people’s living rooms and entertain them the way we have over the last seven years.”

During an October conversation with PEOPLE, Hauser also touched briefly on the notion of expanding the main Yellowstone storyline beyond the current fifth season.

Although he defined himself as “just a hired gun” and not a decision-maker on the show’s future, he admitted that “it sure would be a shame to stop a great thing. I believe the numbers speak for themselves.”

The series finale of Yellowstone airs Sunday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network.