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In the early to mid-2000s, American actor Taylor Sheridan was a rage among audiences after being part of two very successful television series. In 2004, Sheridan starred in the FX original showSons of Anarchywhile also becoming popular for his character Danny Boyd in the high school mystery seriesVeronica Mars.The star though, achieved cult status after taking to the written word and earned great success as a writer in several films likeSicarioand the Oscar-nominatedHell or High Water.
Sheridan’s crowning glory as a writer and creator came with the 2018 seriesYellowstone,starring Kevin Costner in the lead. The show, which was the former actor’s brainchild, follows the conflicts that take place along the shared borders of the Yellowstone Ranch. While Kevin Costner’s performance was also lauded, the veteran actor almost did not get cast for the role.
Also Read:“There’s definitely some ego to all of this”: Kevin Costner Allegedly Got Frustrated by Yellowstone Creator Taylor Sheridan’s God Complex After Years of Getting Ignored by Hollywood
Taylor Sheridan Almost Cast Robert Redford ForYellowstone
Yellowstone,the popular television series created byTaylor Sheridan, is now in its 5th and final season, with Part 2 due to premiere in November2023. The show which endeared itself gradually to audiences, picked up over seasons to become a successful series thanks to Sheridan’s writing andKevin Costner’sperformance. While the original production house HBO and the creator agreed that a big star was needed to play the protagonist, Sheridan’s first choice, Kevin Costner, was rejected by a few decision-makers.
Following this, Taylor Sheridan went to Robert Redford in an attempt to get him for the part and even confirmed his presence in the series before realizing that he had made a huge faux pas owing to a miscommunication between him and HBO. Recalling the incident, theVeronica Marsactor said,
“I drive to Sundance and spend the day with him(Redford) and he agrees to play John Dutton. I call the senior vice president in charge of production and say, ‘I got him!’ ‘You got who?’ ‘Robert Redford.’ ‘What?!‘ ‘You said if I got Robert Redford, you’d greenlight the show.’ And he says — and you can’t make this s**t up — ‘We meant a Robert Redford type.’ ”
Ultimately, when the miscommunication was cleared, HBO backed out which then allowed Sheridan to go with Kevin Costner for the role of John Dutton. This move proved to be the right one for the show which went on to become a success.
Also Read:Kevin Costner Not Returning for Yellowstone as Wife Files for Divorce After 18 Years of Marriage Amidst Ongoing Battle With Taylor Sheridan
What Went Wrong With Taylor Sheridan and HBO?
Taylor Sheridan’s popular neo-western dramaYellowstonehad a successful premiere on the Paramount Network with a 5th and final season underway. Sheridan though, originally pitched the script to HBO. A few key decision-makers at the production house were not keen on taking up the script and producing it as they were unconvinced about the milieu and scope of the narrative, which was centered in rural America
‘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 rural Montana]. It should be a park or something.’
TheSons of Anarchyactor subsequently went on to strike a deal with Paramount Network and the rest, as they say, was history. Sheridan’s success ensured that he received a call from HBO congratulating him on the success of the show along with an offer to write a family drama.
Also Read:“That’s not something you expect to find in such an intellectual thinker”: Harrison Ford Heaps Praise on Taylor Sheridan While Filming Yellowstone Spin-off ‘1923’, Reveals What Makes Writer-Director Such a Rare Genius
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
