Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind the Yellowstone universe, has crafted a television empire that’s captivated millions, but what do we know about the man behind the cowboy hat?
As Yellowstone’s fifth season part two premiered, a staggering 16 million viewers were glued to their screens on Paramount Network, eager to witness the beginning of the end for the beloved series.
Yet, even as the original saga draws to a close, Sheridan’s creative prowess continues to flourish with spin-offs attracting A-listers like Sylvester Stallone, Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Sheridan’s journey to stardom was far from overnight as it took years of perseverance to reach his current heights of success.
Early life
Growing up in Cranfills Gap, Texas, Sheridan endured a “difficult childhood” on a ranch near Waco.
The idyllic life he knew was upended when his parents divorced, leading to the sale of the ranch in 1991 while he attended Texas State University, a decision that strained his relationship with his mother, who recalled to Texas Highways: “I don’t think Taylor spoke to me for a year.”
Despite the hardships, the ranch life left an indelible mark on Sheridan, providing rich material that would later fuel his writing career. Reflecting on his craft, Sheridan remarked: “When you write, it’s always of an autobiographical nature.
“Our family ranch has informed Yellowstone in many ways, but losing it was the biggest one.”
Inside Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridans life from living in tent and HBO turning down hit drama to whats next (Image: GETTY)
Actor and writer Taylor Sheridan starred in Sons Of Anarchy as David Hale. (Image: FX)
Living in a tent
Sheridan later dropped out of university and spent time “mowing lawns and painting houses and trying to figure out what to do”, according to Austin American-Statesman.
After he was discovered at a mall by a talent scout, the Yellowstone creator landed some acting roles in shows like NYPD Blue and CSI and went on to move to Los Angeles.
With nowhere to go, Sheridan did what he could to earn money and spent time living with his dog in his car.
He continued: “I was really broke but made the choice not to quit and go home.
“I also stayed with friends on a reservation north of LA. They would let me go up there, and I would pitch a tent.”
Later in life success
Sheridan finally got his onscreen breakthrough role when he was in his 40s portraying David Hale in Sons of Anarchy.
Although, it was at a similar time that he had taken a step back from showbusiness and moved to Wyoming with his pregnant wife Nicole who he met teaching acting classes.
Sheridan previously told Austin American-Statesman that he didn’t like the idea of raising a child in LA.
This didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams with his wife’s help as Pappu reported that she maxed out her credit card so he could afford the scriptwriting software programme Final Draft.
Of course, this investment paid off eventually as he went on to write for the films Sicario and Hell Or High Water.
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has been married to Nicole Sheridan since 2013 and share one son together. (Image: GETTY)
HBO
While Sheridan was busy with other Western projects, he continued to pen Yellowstone in his spare time.
However, getting the show greenlit took some time as Sheridan insisted on having significant artistic control and being the sole writer and director during pitch meetings.
HBO executive Michael Lombardo was supportive of the idea, but there were creative differences with the network along the way.
One of these disagreements was over the casting of John Dutton. While Sheridan was eager for Kevin Costner to take on the role, HBO suggested Robert Redford.
Even when The Way We Were star was signed for the show, an executive reportedly said, “We meant a Robert Redford type”.
Esquire reported a conversation between Sheridan and HBO’s Vice President at the time, John Linson. According to Sheridan, Linson stated: “Look, it just feels so Middle America.
“We’re HBO, we’re avant-garde, we’re trendsetters. This feels like a step backward.
“And frankly, I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think anyone should be living out there [in Montana]. It should be a park or something.”
Despite the issues with HBO, Yellowstone was able to proceed with Paramount, with its first series premiering in 2020.
What’s next
As per Sheridan’s IMDb profile, he has numerous projects in various stages of production. These include 2024, Fast, 6666, The Madison, 1923, and The Landman.
In the pipeline, fans can look forward to an “Untitled Yellowstone Beth and Rip spin-off” which is currently in development, set to carry on the tale of Beth Dutton, portrayed by Kelly Reilly, and Rip Wheeler, played by Cole Hauser.
Yellowstone season five, part two, is available to watch on Paramount+ in the UK and Paramount Network in the US.