In 2011, 'Yellowstone' creator Taylor Sheridan was working as an actor and down to his last $800.
When his attorney attempted to negotiate a pay raise for his role as Deputy Chief David Hale in FX's 'Sons of Anarchy,' an exec told him:
"He probably deserves to make more, but we’re not going to pay him more... There are 50 of him. He is #11 on the call sheet. That’s what that guy is and that’s all he’s ever going to be."
That was the final insult that convinced Sheridan "I didn’t want to be #11 on the call sheet for the rest of my life.”
So he got to writing, and four years later, he'd turned in a screenplay that became Denis Villeneuve's highly acclaimed 'Sicario' (2015).
The following year, Sheridan racked up award nominations for David Mackenzie’s 'Hell or High Water' (2016) starring Chris Pine and Ben Foster; before making his own directorial debut with 'Wind River' (2017).
The real game-changer, however, was when he co-created one of the most successful modern television franchises: 'Yellowstone.'
The five-season run, featuring Kevin Costner, has already spawned two spin-off shows, and has three more under development.
These results convinced Paramount to let him produce five more passion projects — 'Mayor of Kingstown,' 'Tulsa King,' 'Special Ops: Lioness,' 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves,' and the forthcoming 'Landman.'
Today Taylor Sheridan is worth over $200 million and is the proud owner of the historic Texas Four Sixes Ranch, which he now rents out to Paramount to film some of his shows.
How's that for being #11 on the call sheet?
You own your path. No one else is going to pave it for you. What's holding you back?