Taylor Sheridan’s Greatest Western Was So Perfect, It Made Sam Elliott Want to Work With Him

November 1, 2026

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Sam Elliott is a true legend of the Western genre, and while he’s certainly made his mark in other genres, his gravelly, warm baritone monologues simply hit better when they’re floating out from under a Stetson. From The Sacketts and The Quick and the Dead to Tombstone and You Know My Name, Sam Elliott commands the screen as a stoic Western protagonist. As a steady hand in both television and movies, Elliott has established himself as the prototypical wizened cowboy, typically in a supporting role in the later stage of his accomplished career.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that he would find his way to Taylor Sheridan‘s ever-expanding network of traditional and neo-Westerns. Beginning with Yellowstone in 2018, Taylor Sheridan has expanded beyond that flagship show with prequel series and other original Western dramas and thrillers. However, his pitch for one show in particular was what not only captured the legendary Sam Elliott’s attention, but overcame the icon’s perception of the Yellowstone franchise.

The Pitch for ‘1883’ Was What Made Sam Elliott a Sheridan Collaborator

Per People, in an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Sam Elliott revealed that it was Taylor Sheridan’s pitch for Yellowstone prequel 1883 that made him a willing participant in the franchise. Set more than a century before the events of Yellowstone, 1883 details the westward journey of the original Dutton family that would go on to settle in Montana’s Paradise Valley. In the prequel, Elliott portrayed Shea Brennan, a Civil War veteran and current Pinkerton agent who was responsible for leading the caravan of travelers that the Duttons were a part of.

Brennan’s heartbreaking past and gruff and commanding personality allowed Elliott to showcase his talent across the entire emotional spectrum, and it’s part of why Elliott signed on to the show. Sheridan pitched Elliott on his intentions for both the show and the character, which Elliott described as “beautiful”, leading Sheridan to write the part specifically around Elliott. The end result is one of the best performances of Elliott’s prolific career, and one of the most acclaimed Western series that Sheridan has ever written or produced.

Sam Elliott Considered ‘Yellowstone’ a “Cowboy Soap Opera”

Paramount+

Since then, Elliott has gone on to star in another Sheridan show, the neo-Western drama series Landman, but their collaboration wasn’t as obvious as it appears on the surface. Prior to Sheridan pitching the 82-year-old actor on 1883, Elliott had proclaimed that he wasn’t a fan of Yellowstone. For Elliott, the show was too much like a soap opera, and conjured an unflattering comparison to the series Dallas in a 2022 interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast. The maturity in the script of 1883 in comparison to Sheridan’s self-admitted “punk-rock” attitude towards Yellowstone is what drew Elliott in, and the depth of the character of Shea Brennan proved to be a perfect fit for the iconic Western star.