Long Before Yellowstone, Taylor Sheridan Was the Dimwit Who Terrorized Veronica Mars
Before he became television’s reigning cowboy storyteller, Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan was better known for playing criminals, deputies, and the occasional dimwit. Long before he wrote Oscar-nominated screenplays or built a Western TV empire, Sheridan was hustling for bit parts — including one that had him squaring off against none other than Veronica Mars herself.
From Mobster to Mastermind
In the mid-2000s, Sheridan landed his first recurring TV role as Danny Boyd, a member of the Fitzpatrick crime family in Veronica Mars. Appearing in five episodes between 2005 and 2007, his character was a far cry from the sharp, stoic figures that now populate his neo-Western dramas.
As Danny, Sheridan played the dim cousin of mob boss Liam Fitzpatrick (Rodney Rowland). His debut in the Season 2 episode “Ahoy Mateys” introduced him as a local thug helping to run the River Stix bar — a seedy Irish mob hideout. When Kristen Bell’s Veronica comes poking around, Danny doesn’t exactly shine. Instead, he bumbles his way through the encounter, only to be promptly taken down by Veronica’s taser.
It was the kind of role Sheridan now writes so deftly: the small-town criminal with more bravado than brains.
The Long Road from Actor to Auteur
Before creating Yellowstone, Sheridan was a working TV actor for nearly two decades. After a one-off appearance on Walker, Texas Ranger in 1995, he picked up steady work on network dramas like Star Trek: Enterprise and Sons of Anarchy, where he played Deputy Chief David Hale for three seasons.
But Sheridan’s frustration with Hollywood’s treatment of actors ultimately drove him away from performing. In 2010, after leaving Sons of Anarchy over a pay dispute, he decided to write his own stories — a decision that would change his life.
Within five years, Sheridan wrote Sicario (2015), Hell or High Water (2016), and Wind River (2017), launching a career defined by grit, moral tension, and unforgettable landscapes.
From Veronica’s Taser to Yellowstone’s Range
It’s ironic that a man who once played a hapless thug in Veronica Mars would go on to redefine the modern Western. Today, Sheridan is the creative force behind Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Mayor of Kingstown, and Lioness — a multi-series universe built on power, loyalty, and bloodshed.
Despite his dislike of acting, Sheridan hasn’t completely stepped away from the camera. He’s appeared in his own shows, most notably as horse trainer Travis Wheatley in Yellowstone, showing that his cowboy credentials are more than convincing.
The Making of a Modern Western Legend
Looking back, Danny Boyd may have been a small role, but it was part of the journey that shaped Sheridan’s storytelling instincts. Playing the kind of street-level crooks he now writes with psychological precision gave him a firsthand understanding of what makes flawed characters tick.
From a bumbling mobster in Veronica Mars to one of Hollywood’s most prolific creators, Taylor Sheridan’s rise proves that even the most unexpected beginnings can lead to legend.