Taylor Sheridan: Hollywood’s Toughest Hitmaker

Taylor Sheridan has built one of the biggest television empires in Hollywood, but working with him is not always easy.

The creator of “Yellowstone” is known for his demanding style, strong opinions and hands-on control of his shows. People who have worked with him describe him as tough, direct and sometimes difficult, but also fair and fiercely loyal to the people he trusts.

That reputation has followed Sheridan as he prepares to leave Paramount for NBCUniversal in a deal reportedly valued at about $1 billion.

Sheridan’s shows have turned him into one of the most powerful creators in television. “Yellowstone” became a major hit, while shows such as “1883,” “1923,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King,” “Special Ops: Lioness” and “Landman” expanded his growing television universe.

But his success has come with its share of conflict.

Actor Ed Harris recently said he felt “misled” about his role in Sheridan’s “Dutton Ranch” project and told his team to get him off the set. “Lioness” star Zoe Saldaña has also described Sheridan as a demanding boss who gives actors a simple choice: accept the challenge and perform, or quit.

Still, others defend him.

Actress Jill Wagner, who worked with Sheridan on “Special Ops: Lioness,” said he is not always nice but is fair. She also praised his loyalty, saying he could have taken the idea for “Lioness” for himself but instead included her in the project and helped her learn the business.

“He tends to lift people up,” Wagner said.

Sheridan has also developed a reputation for giving longtime collaborators steady work. Actors including James Jordan, Gil Birmingham, Moses Brings Plenty, Dawn Olivieri, Michelle Randolph and Neal McDonough have appeared repeatedly in his projects.

His approach to filmmaking is equally strict. Actors have said that Sheridan expects his scripts to be followed closely, with little room for improvisation.

“When you get that script, that’s the script you’re shooting,” actor Michael Kelly said of working on “Lioness.”

Sheridan’s relationship with “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner has been far less friendly.

The two fell out during the final season of the hit western, after Costner’s decision to leave the series became a public dispute. Sheridan said he was disappointed by Costner’s departure, while Costner later argued that the production had not been truthful about why the show ended.

Costner maintained that his “Horizon” film project did not cause the scheduling problems, saying he had planned the movies around his “Yellowstone” commitments.

The dispute ended with Costner’s character, John Dutton III, being killed off. The two men are no longer in contact, although a source close to Costner said there are no major hard feelings between them.

While Costner pursued his own western franchise, “Horizon,” Sheridan continued expanding his television empire.

Sheridan’s path to Hollywood success was unusual. He spent years working as an actor but eventually decided writing offered him a better future. In 2011, he sold his first screenplay, which became “Sicario,” starring Emily Blunt.

At the time, Sheridan said he was down to his last $800.

“I was a fair actor, but that’s all I was ever going to be,” he later told The Hollywood Reporter. “Hollywood will tell you what you’re supposed to do, if you listen.”

“Yellowstone” premiered in 2018 and gradually became a ratings phenomenon. Sheridan believed its success came partly from its western setting, even though he argued that the show was really about much more than cowboys and ranches.

His success has also made him extremely wealthy. Sheridan was part of the investment group that purchased the historic 6666 Ranch in Texas for about $320 million in 2022. He has said he invested much of his earnings into ranching and the property.

Sheridan has embraced the cowboy image himself. He owns a ranch in Texas with his wife, actress and model Nicole Muirbrook, and their son, and is often seen riding horses or working around his productions.

His influence has also attracted major movie stars to television. Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, Demi Moore and Michelle Pfeiffer are among the high-profile actors who have appeared in his projects.

On “Landman,” Sheridan initially planned to give Demi Moore a relatively small role before expanding her character in the second season. He knew critics might question the decision, but said he was not particularly concerned with their opinions.

Sheridan has been equally dismissive of awards. Despite the popularity of his shows and strong performances from actors such as Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter, his work has received relatively little attention from the Emmys.

That does not appear to bother him.

Sheridan says his goal is not to win awards but to entertain ordinary viewers.

“I’m pretty common and I’m going to tell stories that common people are going to understand,” he said.

His next chapter could make his influence even bigger. Sheridan is co-writing and producing a live-action “Call of Duty” movie for Paramount Pictures and Activision, with director and co-writer Peter Berg. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on June 30, 2028.

The partnership could be particularly interesting because both Sheridan and Berg are known for having strong creative personalities.

For all the controversy surrounding Sheridan, one thing is difficult to dispute: he has changed the television business.

He went from a struggling actor with $800 in his bank account to one of Hollywood’s most powerful writers and producers. His shows have created franchises, revived careers and turned the modern western into a major television genre again.

Sheridan may be demanding, stubborn and unwilling to compromise. But for many actors and producers, the opportunity to work with him is still worth the challenge.

And despite the reported tensions surrounding his productions, even Ed Harris is expected to return for the second season of “Dutton Ranch.”