“There is no compromising”: Taylor Sheridan Refuses One Cardinal Rule of Writing for ‘Yellowstone’ That Put Him at Odds With Kevin Costner for a Bizarre Past Experience

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone is a record-breaking hit TV series starring the Emmy and Oscar winner Kevin Costner. Thus, there is no doubt the people involved behind the scenes are one of the most talented artists, and with Sheridan leading the pack, the success of the show was guaranteed. However, after the news surfaced that Costner has departed from the series, the show will now conclude following the culmination of the last part of its fifth season, ending rather abruptly. In response, writer Sheridan has provided insight into the backstage conflicts that prompted Paramount to make this decisive choice.

In a tell-all interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the writer, and filmmaker divulged his approach to crafting the successful show, a method honed through numerous compromises he’s made throughout his career. Additionally, he delved into his rapport with the lead, Costner, and revealed the underlying cause that led to their disagreements on set.

Taylor Sheridan Refuses to Follow This Rule While Writing No Matter What

Taylor Sheridan is one of the most celebrated writers in the industry, with some of the most famous works under his belt, and his latest crowning jewel was Yellowstone. Sheridan is in the industry for quite some time, and most of it as an actor, as a struggling actor rather.

Although the celebrity had a hard time leaving a mark as an actor in the industry, it did not take him as much time or effort to make it by being a writer. It is his true calling. Thus, after almost four decades of compromising, Sheridan has now decided he will not be confirmed into any boxes and will do what his heart desires. Speaking to the media outlet, he said,

“I spent the first 37 years of my life compromising. When I quit acting, I decided that I am going to tell my stories my way, period. If you don’t want me to tell them, fine. Give them back and I’ll find someone who does — or I won’t, and then I’ll read them in some freaking dinner theater. But I won’t compromise. There is no compromising.”

The actor further disclosed his approach of not engaging in a writers’ room. While he acknowledges that assigning a single writer to conceive an entire show can be demanding, he maintains that if the writers fail to grasp the core of the narrative from the outset, he promptly discards the concept. He elaborated saying,

“But when you hire a room that may not be motivated by those same qualities — and a writer always wants to take ownership of something they’re writing — and I give this directive and they’re not feeling it, then they’re going to come up with their own qualities. So for me, writers rooms, they haven’t worked.”

Having recently begun to savor the sense of freedom, the celebrity is not inclined to swiftly return to the constraints that bound him for years. Consequently, he is prepared to confront any obstacle diverting him from his current position. After enduring years of struggle, he has finally uncovered newfound confidence and is determined in sticking to his chosen path.

Taylor Sheridan on His Beef with Kevin Costner on the sets of Yellowstone

No matter what the beef might be, Sheridan revealed he will not be killing off Kevin Coster‘s character in “a f–k-you car crash”.  After the actor walked out abruptly to work on the passion project that he has been waiting on making happen for 35 years, a serious discussion arose about how the void might be filled after the character’s departure from the show. Consequently, many thought he would kill the character off, Sons of Anarchy style. After the writer himself faced a death like that previously in his career, he consciously decided he will not be going that route anymore in the future. He said,

“I don’t do f–k-you car crashes,–Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.”

Sheridan also shared how disappointed he was following the news, he also revealed that although the end will be rushed, the storyline will remain the same and Constner’s departure will not affect the said ending in any way shape, or form. He said,

“I’m disappointed,–It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”

With that, he bid adieu to the actor, extending his well-wishes for the project that the actor has awaited for decades.