Taylor Sheridan’s experience on Sons of Anarchy made him quit acting and start writing
Taylor Sheridan's journey from an undervalued actor in Sons of Anarchy to a successful screenwriter is a tale of unexpected twists. Here's how a blunt conversation about his worth in Hollywood led to a groundbreaking career change.
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Taylor Sheridan's stint on Sons of Anarchy didn't exactly end like he had originally anticipated.
In 2010, at 38, Taylor realized he was earning much less than his co-stars despite the show being his major break as Sheriff David Hale.
This realization came after a blunt talk about his lower pay with executives.
This discussion was a turning point, prompting Taylor to leave acting altogether.
He then embarked on a writing career that would prove extremely successful, becasue he would eventually create Yellowstone.
In 2010, Taylor learned from the business attorney of Sons of Anarchy that his pay was lower than his co-stars.
Instead of giving him a raise, the attorney bluntly stated that Taylor was easily replaceable.
"You're right that he probably deserves to make more, but we're not going to pay him more because guess what, he's not worth more," the attorney stated. "That's what he's worth. There's 50 of him. He is 11 on the call sheet. That's what that guy is, and that's all he's ever going to be."
Despite achieving his dream of a recurring role on a hit series, he chose to leave, refusing to be just another number on a call sheet for his career.
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Taylor left Sons of Anarchy, and the team wrote his character out before season 3. Facing his 40s, jobless, and expecting his first child, he realized he needed to carve his own path in Hollywood.
Convinced he could do better after encountering numerous poor scripts during his acting career, he set out to write despite lacking formal experience in writing.
"I wanted to tell stories that mattered to me, and not tell other people's stories. I wanted to tell stories about my life and the lifestyle that I grew up in, and the world that I came from," he stated.
Nicole, Taylor's wife, fully supported his new venture. With a renewed sense of purpose, Taylor started crafting stories that resonated deeply with him, drawing on his extensive experience as an actor.
He made sure to give depth to every character, no matter how small their part.
Taylor's first script, Sicario, was a hit both critically and commercially. He wrote it in just four months, and a film starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro was produced directly from his draft. Taylor continued his writing journey with notable works like Hell or High Water, Wind River, and Yellowstone.
He has since spun his Yellowstone universe into multiple prequels, sequels, and spinoffs.
