Stallone says Sheridan found Hollywood by quitting acting, pivoting to writing

Sylvester Stallone says Taylor Sheridan found his footing in Hollywood by stepping away from acting to write. In a weekend interview with People, the 79-year-old actor noted that Sheridan faced a career crossroads and chose to pivot to screenwriting to survive in a tough industry. 'There was a crossroads where I knew I was always going to be thug number three coming through the door,' Stallone said. 'I saw the handwriting on the wall and knew I had to pivot, big time, and the same thing happened with him.'

Sheridan, who began his career with acting roles in Veronica Mars and a string of guest spots on television, later left acting after turning 40 in 2010 and began writing full-time. He went on to pen Denis Villeneuve's Sicario, a cartel thriller that helped redefine his voice in contemporary cinema. Since then, Sheridan has created and produced a string of projects that blend grounded character work with high-stakes storytelling, including Yellowstone, 1883, Lioness and Hell or High Water. He also had early acting stints in series such as NCIS: Los Angeles, CSI, NYPD Blue, Star Trek: Enterprise, Party of Five and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, among others.

Stallone recalled meeting Sheridan at a barn while they were riding horses and enlisting the younger writer’s help to shape the fourth Rambo film. The movie, which wrapped production in the mid-2000s, carried Sheridan’s early influence, with Art Monterastelli credited as the screenwriter. 'About 10 years later, here he comes with this idea,' Stallone said, recounting how Sheridan presented a fresh concept that would become Tulsa King. 'He was a serious actor, but no one was giving him his break. He realized the clock was running out, and he had to learn to write. ... I get his dilemma. I get the reason he pursued another career. It isn't because you wanted to, you had to, or you're gone. He's a survivalist.'

Stallone went on to executive produce and reprise his role as Mafia capo Dwight 'The General' Manfredi in the 10-episode third season of Tulsa King, the Oscar-nominated writer’s dramedy that premiered on Paramount+. The collaboration has helped keep both men’s projects in the public eye as Sheridan’s name became synonymous with a slate of modern Western-tinged dramas, including Land Man, Mayor of Kingstown and 1923. Sheridan’s influence extends beyond his own screenwriting; his ongoing output has shaped a broader tonal thread in contemporary American entertainment.

Last Thursday, Sheridan and his wife Nicole Muirbrook celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary, and the couple is expected to welcome the 16th birthday of their son Gus this week, according to people close to the production and editorial notes accompanying the feature.