Sam Elliott Called 'Yellowstone' a 'Cowboy Soap Opera'—Then This Happened
As Taylor Sheridan promotes his upcoming literary debut, How to Not Die in Prison: A Survival Guide, the Yellowstone creator has begun pulling the curtain back on all things Yellowstone, Landman and beyond. Earlier today, Sheridan sat down with Howard Stern for a candid conversation about his work and what the last several years have held for him—and we were hooked from the start.
It’s been quite some time since Sheridan jumped behind the camera after spending years as an actor, but when his favorite stars sign on to his projects, there’s still a part of him that feels a bit starstruck.
The Yellowstone prequel series 1883 told the story of an early generation of Duttons, and Sam Elliott joined the cast as Shea Brennan, a brave wagon master with a tragic past who guides a group from Texas to Montana. In true Sam Elliott fashion, he brought his typical charisma and cowboy aura to the role, but Sheridan revealed on The Howard Stern Showthat the actor wasn’t a huge fan of the original series, Yellowstone. Here, read all about his take and what Taylor Sheridan has said about working with him.
Sam Elliott didn’t like ‘Yellowstone,’ Taylor Sheridan reveals
While chatting with Howard Stern, Taylor Sheridan shared one of his earliest conversations with the Big Lebowski (1998) actor. “He’s one of the best that we’ve ever had,” he said.
When Stern asked Sheridan if he ever felt shocked by the actors who agreed to join his projects, he got candid about his experience working with Sam Elliott.
“So with Sam—I used him in 1883—it’s funny because I called him and we talked and he’s like, ‘I don’t like that Yellowstone. That’s a cowboy soap opera.’ I said, ‘You’re right. I’m not asking you to be on that. That’s the punk rock me throwing middle fingers at the industry and a lot of other sh—. This is going to be the grown-up me. I have a story I want to tell. Here’s the story, and here’s the arc of your character.’”
Sheridan continued, “And I pitched it to him and he said, ‘That’s beautiful. I’d love to do that.’ And I said, ‘Great. I’m going to go write it for you.’ And he’s one of the most delightful human beings I have ever met and a wizard of an actor. You got to pinch yourself sometimes when you sit there and you see Sam Elliott saying your words. I have to pinch myself more to say that I can honestly call him a friend.”
Sam Elliott and Taylor Sheridan’s relationship
So fruitful was Elliott and Sheridan’s 1883 collaboration that Sam joined Landman, one of Taylor Sheridan’s more recent projects, this past season. Playing the father of Billy Bob Thornton’s character, he once again brought his all to the role.
“I’ve spent a good portion of my life growing up in the outdoors, and there’s something about Taylor’s material that I feel like it hinges on that in some respect. That really speaks deeply to me,” Sam Elliott told Varietyback in November of working on the series.
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This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 4:42 PM.