Now his name is associated with one of the biggest television licenses of the moment. Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is primarily known by name, but his face is familiar to fans of the western series as he plays Travis Wheatley, a horse trader who appears in several episodes.
Before becoming one of the most influential screenwriters in Hollywood, the latter also tried to make a career as an actor. Originally from Texas, Taylor Sheridan moved to Los Angeles in the 90s and landed small roles in series such as Walker, Texas, Ranger and Doctor Quinn, Doctor Woman.
“It was not my destiny”
His square jaw and Texas accent quickly limited him to cop or tough guy roles. Although she was shunned by the film world, her television career took off in 2005 when she landed a supporting role in the TV series Veronica Mars. Appearing in the role of Danny Boyd for five episodes, the last one still fails to make an impression on the minds of fans of the program.
The TV series Sons of Anarchy allowed him to appear in a more prominent role. In the first seasons of the show, Taylor Sheridan plays Deputy Chief David Hale, a brazen cop who stands in the way of bikers led by Ron Perlman and Charlie Hunnam. After 21 episodes, his character was killed off after a Texan sued the show’s production over his salary.
“The plan was always to become a huge movie star and then move to a ranch and just make movies with Martin Scorsese when I felt like it.”Taylor Sheridan said in an interview The Hollywood Reporter. “But it wasn’t my destiny, in the end.”
From a failed actor to a Hollywood star screenwriter
Knowing that her acting ambitions would never come true, Taylor Sheridan decided to devote herself entirely to writing. It was also on the verge of bankruptcy that he sold the script for his first film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, Sicario. After signing the script for Comancheria, the latter closed his “American frontier trilogy” in 2017 with Wind River, which he directed himself.
The following year, Taylor Sheridan made a big return to television as the creator of Yellowstone, a western series that grew into a saga and spawned numerous spin-offs (2024 and 6666) and prequels (1923 and 1883, soon 1944).
Since then, Taylor Sheridan has applied a very strict work discipline that allows him to multiply projects while maintaining control. He is currently credited as the creator of six broadcast series (including The Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone and Kingstown Mayor Jeremy Renner), with several projects in development.
Failing to become the movie star he dreamed of, Taylor Sheridan certainly has no claim to becoming one of the most active screenwriters of today. So success doesn’t seem ready to stop!
All series of the world of Yellowstone can now be seen only on Paramount+.
Discover the list of series currently available on the platform!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
