It is not uncommon for creative people to give themselves a role in their own projects. Quentin Tarantino has appeared in several of his directorial efforts, Donald Glover leads the ensemble on “Atlanta” and Jason Sudeikis is the leading man in “Ted Lasso.” Continuing the trend, “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan cast himself as Travis Wheatley in the hit neo-Western series, but that wasn’t his original plan.
In 2016, Sheridan discussed his transition from acting to writing and directing in an interview with Uproxx. The creator revealed that he has no plans to participate in any of his projects, saying: “There are a number of people who have done this. I don’t want to be one of those guys- there.” Then season 1 of “Yellowstone” came along, and he went back on his word by debuting his character in the episode “Coming Home.” The rest is history.
Not only did Sheridan break his promise, but he also could have made “Yellowstone” worse. In fact, some fans claim that Sheridan ruined “Yellowstone” near the end, saying it made the once-beloved series his own. This view may be a bit far-fetched, but his role certainly grew ridiculously high at times, even if his initial reason for acting on the show was understandable.
Taylor Sheridan is happy to get attention these days
Taylor Sheridan took on a role in “Yellowstone” because his character is a horse trainer, and it’s a lifestyle the actor-turned-showrunner knows well. At the time, Sheridan was the most suitable actor for the role, as he also trained horses for the show. Putting yourself in Travis Wheatley’s cowboy boots was therefore ingenious. At first, Wheatley was only a minor player, but his presence increased as “Yellowstone” progressed, and Sheridan eventually became one of the heroes of his own story.
The penultimate episode of “Yellowstone” Season 5 is mainly dedicated to Sheridan’s character showing off his muscles, partying with models and making women adore him. Wheatley gets the Duttons out of trouble with his sublime horsemanship and salesmanship skills, and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) lovingly tells stories about Wheatley struggling. The former background player is suddenly transformed into the ultimate stud, and one could be forgiven for thinking that Sheridan’s ego was out of control.
“Yellowstone” producers defended Sheridan’s escapades in Season 5 by saying he wanted to bring laughs to an otherwise tragic season. However, he has since appeared in her series “Lioness” without his shirt, and he gave himself a small role in “1883”. Additionally, with “Yellowstone” spinoff “6666” currently in development, viewers can likely expect Sheridan to make more on-screen appearances alongside two other familiar “Yellowstone” characters. , as Wheatley runs the titular ranch.
“Yellowstone” is currently streaming on Peacock.
