Taylor Sheridan Broke One Of His Biggest Rules With The Yellowstone Universe

It isn't uncommon for creatives to give themselves roles 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 on "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.

Back in 2016, Sheridan discussed his transition from acting to writing and directing in an interview with Uproxx. The creator revealed that he had no intention of casting himself in any of his projects, saying, "There are a number of people who have done that. I don't want to be one of those guys." Then "Yellowstone" season 1 arrived, and he went back on his word by debuting his character in the "Coming Home" episode. The rest is history.

Not only did Sheridan break his promise, but he also might've made "Yellowstone" worse as a result. In fact, some fans argue that Sheridan ruined "Yellowstone" toward the end, claiming that he made the once-loved series all about him. That viewpoint may be a tad far-fetched, but his role certainly increased in ridiculous ways at times, though his initial reason for acting in the series was understandable.

Taylor Sheridan gave himself a role on "Yellowstone" as his character is a horse trainer, and this is a lifestyle the actor-turned-showrunner knows well. At the time, Sheridan was the most suitable actor for the part as he also trained horses for the show, so putting himself in Travis Wheatley's cowboy boots was resourceful. Early on, Wheatley was only a bit-part player, but his presence increased as "Yellowstone" progressed, and Sheridan ultimately became one of the heroes in his own story.

"Yellowstone" season 5's penultimate episode is primarily dedicated to Sheridan's character showing off his muscles, partying with supermodels, and having women fawn over him. Wheatley gets the Duttons out of a pinch with his sublime horsing and salesman skills, and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) lovingly tells stories about Wheatley getting into fights. The former background player is suddenly transformed into the ultimate stud, and one could be forgiven for thinking Sheridan's ego was out of control.

"Yellowstone" producers defended Sheridan's season 5 escapades by claiming that he wanted to bring some laughs to an otherwise tragic season. However, he's since showed up on his "Lioness" series without his shirt on, and he gave himself a small role on "1883." Furthermore, with the "Yellowstone" spin-off "6666" currently in development, viewers can probably expect Sheridan to make more on-screen appearances along with two other familiar "Yellowstone" characters, as Wheatley bosses the titular ranch.

"Yellowstone" is currently streaming on Peacock.