Taylor Sheridan

Taylor Sheridan is often referred to as the “father of modern Westerns” for resurrecting one of America’s inherent genres of cinema. He is a failed actor-turned-genius writer and director, who almost did not succeed. His meteoric rise to fame is credited to, what is now known as the “frontier trilogy,” three critically acclaimed screenplays written by Sheridan only recently, after failing to establish his acting career for 2 decades. ‘Sicario,’ ‘Hell or High Water,’ and ‘Wind River’ are all a reflection of this writer’s strong connection to the “frontier life,” as opposed to the “American dream.” He is often heard saying, “I’ve felt real lonely in Los Angeles and New York, But never out here, never where there’s space,” referring to the vast expanse of impoverished lands at the border, reeling under ignorance and poverty. Ever since the release of ‘Sicario’ in 2015, Sheridan has acquired the reputation of a screenwriter who “never follows the rules.” His signature style of simple plots driven by complex characters keeps the audiences on the edge of their seats. When he was asked how he developed his style of writing, Sheridan’s answer was as simple as his plots. After reading thousands of scripts during his acting career, all he had to do was make a list of what not to do while writing. This ranch boy from West Texas continues to showcase through his stories and films a part of America that nobody wants to talk about.