See Matthew McConaughey’s Birthday Tribute to Cole Hauser of Yellowstone

Now this is the throwback photo we’ve been waiting for. Yellowstone star Cole Hauser celebrated his 48th birthday last week, and one of his old friends shared an epic photo to commemorate the day.

Cole stars as Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone, but back in 1993 the actor was just getting his start when he appeared as Benny O’Donnell in Dazed & Confused. The movie also launched the career of Matthew McConaughey, who was unforgettable as David Wooderson. In the 30 years since the movie’s release, the two have remained friends.

Matthew shared a photo of the duo from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, from 2006. The friends were in attendance to watch USC take on Matthew’s beloved Texas Longhorns. He wrote, “keep ridin Cole Kenny, happy birthday, Matthew David.” (Cole’s middle name is Kenneth.)

Cole Hauser and Matthew McConaughey, 2009

Some fans left comments with their favorite Dazed and Confused quotes, while others speculated that this could be a hint that the two will be working together in the future.

One wrote, “Foreshadowing?” and another said, “Rip needs you in Yellowstone!!!” Recent rumors have suggested that Matthew could be joining the Yellowstone universe. A representative from Paramount Network has said, “Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

The official Yellowstone Instagram account shared a special birthday message to Cole, along with photos of their star. Cole was flooded with congratulatory messages, including notes from his costars Forrie J. Smith (Lloyd), Finn Little (Carter), and Wendy Moniz-Grillo (Lynelle Perry).

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the rumors about Matthew joining him on Yellowstone are true.