VIDEO: Taylor Sheridan Talks Punching Actors, Pitching A-Listers, and Why He Quit ‘Sons of Anarchy’

Howard and Robin Quivers could barely contain their excitement Tuesday morning as they welcomed one of film and television’s most celebrated creators, Taylor Sheridan, into the studio for an epic, two-hour conversation. The mastermind behind neo-Western classics like “Wind River” and “Sicario”—as well as a string of hit shows including “Yellowstone,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” and, most recently, “The Madison”—stopped by to share details of his Texas upbringing and his meteoric rise from struggling actor to the industry’s premier showrunner. He also opened up about his latest project: “How to Not Die in Prison: A Survival Guide,” a darkly funny new book co-authored with ex-convict Tom Nelson that helps readers navigate the complex dangers of life inside maximum security.

Long before building his television empire, Sheridan was a journeyman actor. His “greatest gift,” he told Howard, was a brutal wakeup call following Season 2 of “Sons of Anarchy.” Despite the show’s success, Sheridan was still making scale and working a second job. When he demanded his pay match his co-stars’ $20,000-per-episode rate, a network executive balked. Sheridan’s attorney argued that kids on YouTube cooking shows earned more, prompting a ruthless response from the exec: “Well, then the guy should go get a cooking show on YouTube. We just don’t have to pay him because there’s 50 of that dude. I can recast that guy tomorrow.” The rejection changed Sheridan’s life. “I realized my value is I’m eminently replaceable and that my business did not respect me,” he recalled. “Man, I can’t take this job and tell my son, ‘Son, you can be anything you want to be, but I’m going to miss your soccer game because I’ve got a Windex audition.’” Realizing the storytellers held the real power, Sheridan quit acting to write his own.

Even back in his acting days, that raw, unapologetic honesty defined Sheridan. He recalled an early audition where another actor started talking over him to ruin his shot. “I told him I was gonna [do it],” Sheridan said. “I’m like, ‘Look, if you interrupt me again, I’m gonna knock you the fuck out.’” When the actor kept talking, Sheridan “just went pop” right from the couch. Believing his career was over, he walked out, only to later discover he landed the job. Outside the studio, he struck up a conversation with a man wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball cap, a sport coat, and tennis shoes. “I’m the executive producer. I’m the one who hired you,” the man revealed. Hoping to hear it was his movie-star charisma, Sheridan asked why he was selected. Instead, the producer laughed and told him, “You told that guy you were going to hit him, and then you hit him. And it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched it 50 times.”

While that fiery temperament helped him break through, Sheridan attributes his monumental success today to his relentless work ethic. “It’s that I’m willing to sit there for 18 hours,” he explained, noting his competitive edge over other talented L.A. writers is that he actually finishes his scripts. To maintain that level of focus, he avoids the Hollywood bubble entirely, staying grounded on his Texas ranch to simply write the stories he wants to watch. Instead of manufacturing a hit, Sheridan seeks only to reflect reality. “I’m gonna hold a mirror up to the world and explore what’s interesting,” he stated.

Today, Sheridan is the one calling the shots for Hollywood’s biggest names, though his approach to securing talent has completely evolved. Rather than writing a script and searching for an actor to fit the role, he now collaborates with the actors first and writes the characters specifically for them—a strategy he used for “1923” with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, as well as “Lioness” with Zoe Saldaña. Before writing a single word of “The Madison,” which successfully debuted this past March, he met with Michelle Pfeiffer to map out the concept. When she initially expressed hesitation about exploring the narrative territory, Sheridan told her, “I don’t know that I want to explore it either, but it needs to be explored.” She agreed to sign on, allowing him to write the series directly for her. Sheridan used a similarly tailored approach with Billy Bob Thornton on “Landman,” explaining that knowing his lead actors beforehand allows his scripts to get incredibly specific.

When Howard asked if he was shocked to land Sam Elliott for the prequel series “1883,” Sheridan recalled a hilarious phone call where the legendary actor didn’t mince words. “I called him and we talked and he’s like, ‘I don’t like that “Yellowstone.” That’s a cowboy soap opera,’” Sheridan laughed. Instead of getting defensive, Sheridan agreed with the blunt critique. “You’re right. I’m not asking you to be on that. That’s the punk rock me throwing middle fingers at the industry and a lot of other shit. This is gonna be the grown-up me,” Sheridan countered. The pitch worked flawlessly. “He’s one of the most delightful human beings I have ever met, and a wizard of an actor,” Sheridan noted.

That same commitment to raw authenticity is what brought “How to Not Die in Prison: A Survival Guide” to life. Sheridan met his co-author, Tom Nelson, at a West Hollywood gym and became fascinated by the career criminal who had spent 17 years behind bars. Sheridan pitched the project as a literal, comprehensive overview of life on the inside. “If you do go, you at least have some understanding of the lay of the land,” Sheridan recalled of the concept. “We’re gonna write a glossary of terms, we’re gonna talk about the cuisine, the accommodations, the people — everything. We’re writing a friggin’ travel guide to prison.”

The manual provides terrifying yet practical advice on surviving maximum security, explicitly reminding readers that “no matter how tough you are or how tough you think you are, in prison there is someone tougher.” Sheridan emphasized the absolute necessity of being willing to fight back to protect yourself on the inside. “If you listen to any different number of inmates, the one constant theme is you need to stick up for yourself,” he explained, adding, “It doesn’t matter that you didn’t win the fight, it’s that you were willing.” Ultimately, Sheridan holds no illusions about the reality of the penal system. “Our prison system is a broken system. It is not designed to rehabilitate,” Sheridan told Howard. “You are on a big fucking state-mandated time out.”

“How to Not Die in Prison: A Survival Guide” is available now everywhere books are sold. Check out “The Madison” and Taylor Sheridan’s other hit shows on Paramount+.