Taylor Sheridan is practically a household name now, thanks to the massive success of Yellowstone and its ever-expanding universe on Paramount. He's the guy who brought us Kevin Costner as John Dutton, Sylvester Stallone in Tulsa King, and Harrison Ford in 1923. But before he was the king of modern Westerns, Sheridan was just another actor grinding it out in guest roles. One of his most surprising early appearances? A multi-episode stint on the cult-favorite neo-noir series Veronica Mars.
Created by Rob Thomas, Veronica Mars starred Kristen Bell as the sharp-tongued teen detective solving crimes in the fictional town of Neptune. The show was a critical darling during its original run on UPN and The CW, and it later returned for a movie and a Hulu revival. It also featured a parade of future stars in guest roles, including Tessa Thompson, Amanda Seyfried, and—yes—Taylor Sheridan.
Sheridan first appeared in the Season 2 episode "Ahoy Mateys" as Danny Boyd, the none-too-bright cousin of local thug Liam Fitzpatrick. Danny is the kind of guy who accidentally leads Veronica straight into his cousin's hideout and ends up on the wrong end of her taser. It's a far cry from the rugged, stoic cowboys Sheridan now writes and occasionally plays, like his Yellowstone character Travis Wheatley. But it shows he had range even back then.
Danny Boyd wasn't just comic relief—he played a key role in the season's central mystery involving a school bus crash. His connection to a shady plastic surgeon helped Veronica unravel the case, and Sheridan returned for two more episodes in Season 3. His final appearance, in the episode "Debasement Tapes," was overshadowed by a guest turn from Paul Rudd, but Sheridan still made an impression. For fans of his current work, it's a fun Easter egg to track down.
Interestingly, Sheridan's time on Veronica Mars came just before he landed a recurring role on Sons of Anarchy as Deputy Chief David Hale. But after three seasons on that show, he walked away. In a 2021 interview with Deadline, Sheridan explained that he felt undervalued as an actor and decided to pivot to writing. "I didn’t want to be 11 on the call sheet for the rest of my life," he said. That decision led him to write the screenplay for Sicario and eventually create the Yellowstone franchise, which now includes hit spinoffs like Marshals and the upcoming 1944.
Sheridan still acts occasionally, most notably as the cocky horse trainer Travis Wheatley on Yellowstone. But that character is the polar opposite of Danny Boyd—confident, muscular, and always in control. Some fans have even criticized Travis as a self-insert, especially after the penultimate episode of Yellowstone, which focused heavily on him, became the series' lowest-rated installment. Still, Sheridan's journey from a tasered goon on Veronica Mars to the architect of a TV empire is a testament to his ambition.
Now, Sheridan is making another big move: he's leaving Paramount for a major deal at Universal Pictures. But before you dive into his next chapter, it's worth revisiting his humble beginnings. For a taste of how far he's come, check out his early work on Veronica Mars—and maybe also Netflix's Godless, which helped rewrite the Western playbook before 1923 ever aired.
