Methods of forming contacts for vertical-transport field-effect transistors and structures for a vertical-transport field-effect transistor and contact. An interlayer dielectric layer is deposited over a gate stack, and a first opening is formed in the interlayer dielectric layer and penetrates through the gate stack to cut the gate stack into a first section and a second section. A dielectric pillar is formed in the first opening and is arranged between the first section of the gate stack and the second section of the gate stack. Second and third openings are formed in the interlayer dielectric layer that penetrate to the gate stack and that are divided by the dielectric pillar. A first contact in the second opening is coupled with the first section of the gate stack, and a second contact in the third opening is coupled with the second section of the gate stack.