Taylor Sheridan Faced Utter Humiliation for Asking Fair Salary as an Actor Before Kevin Costner Led Yellowstone Changed His Life

Once lowballed and overlooked, Taylor Sheridan grabbed the reins, teamed up with Yellowstone star Kevin Costner, and turned the tables.

When life throws you off the horse, you either lie in the dirt or get back in the saddle. For Taylor Sheridan, that fall? It didn’t just fuel the fire—it forged it. Today, his name is practically stitched into the fabric of modern TV, with shows like Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, and 1923 flying high under his brand.

But long before he was calling the shots, Sheridan was just another face in the Hollywood herd—hoofing it from audition to audition, chasing roles, and battling the ruthless, cutthroat world of Hollywood. That world didn’t go easy on him. In fact, it humiliated him when he asked for a fair salary on Sons of Anarchy, a show that seemed to promise the world but only delivered with a harsh dose of reality.

Taylor Sheridan: From actor to screenwriter extraordinaire

Taylor Sheridan’s Sons Of Anarchy | Credit: FX

We seriously have to take a minute to talk about the quiet genius that is Taylor Sheridan. Sure, Yellowstone may have made him a name in the world of writing, but this guy’s roots go way back. Born from the ashes of humble beginnings, his acting career wasn’t exactly the glitzy dream he’d imagined.

While most of us might remember his small-time appearances in shows like Walker, Texas Ranger, and Star Trek: Enterprise, Sheridan wasn’t exactly living the dream. Yet, he pushed on. From humble TV show appearances to larger roles in Sons of Anarchy and Veronica Mars, Sheridan was on the grind.

However, when he asked for a paycheck that reflected his worth, Hollywood shrugged him off. Sheridan once recalled a conversation that would stick with him for the rest of his career. In Sons of Anarchy, he played a sheriff in the lawless hometown, his highest-profile role to date. But despite being part of a popular show, Sheridan wasn’t getting the compensation he felt was fair. He shared with Deadline:

I’ve always said Hollywood will tell you what you’re supposed to be doing, if you will listen. At that time, they were offering me what I thought was a very unfair wage. It was less than virtually every other person on the show, and not enough for me to quit my second job. 

So, the business affairs attorney, who I won’t name, here’s what he told my attorney who said, look, there’s kids on the Cartoon Network making more than you’re offering this guy.

Those words hit him like a ton of bricks. But Sheridan wasn’t the kind of guy to let those words define him. He knew his worth, even when Hollywood didn’t. And instead of letting this treatment crush his spirit, it spurred him on to bigger and better things.

How Taylor Sheridan went from ‘not worth it’ to the man behind Yellowstone’s reign

Taylor Sheridan wrote and acted in Yellowstone | Credits: Paramount
It wasn’t long before he realized his true calling: writing. And from there, his star began to rise in a way that no one—not even Taylor Sheridan himself—could have predicted. He created gripping scripts that grabbed everyone’s attention, and suddenly, he wasn’t just another actor hoping for his big break.

He was the architect of some of TV’s most compelling stories. Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, 1923, 1883—each show was like a masterpiece he painted with words, and each success was another step closer to the top.

They say when you want to build a house that lasts, you start with a strong foundation. For Yellowstone, Sheridan didn’t just build a house—he built a whole empire. And to kick things off with a bang, he roped in none other than Kevin Costner. Yeah, that cinematic legend, cowboy royalty, and a man who’s been synonymous with Western grit since before most streaming services were even born.
Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone | Paramount Network
Bringing Costner onboard wasn’t just about star power—it was about storytelling ammunition. Sheridan was fully aware of what he had in his holster. Talking about getting Costner on board for the show, Sheridan told Variety:

Kevin’s one of the biggest movie stars of the past 40 years, and well deserved. He’s an incredible storyteller as a director, as a writer, as an actor, and so when you have that kind of tool in your toolbox, you can write him into some really conflicting situations.

Now, The Madison is next up in the queue, and it’s bringing an entirely new flavor to the table. And the cast? Let’s just say this isn’t your average lineup.

As we reflect on Sheridan’s journey, we can’t help but feel a sense of awe. It’s a story that proves you don’t have to fit into Hollywood’s cookie-cutter mold to succeed. Sheridan didn’t play by the rules, and that’s precisely why he won.

Yellowstone is available on Paramount+.