Taylor Sheridan Describes A Major Aspect Of Mayor Of Kingstown As Autobiographical

Writer, director, actor, and producer Taylor Sheridan is known for the imaginative, action-packed, and often dark worlds he cooks up in series like “Yellowstone,” “The Madison,” and “Lioness.” While it’s clear to see that there are real-world inspirations for many of his shows, fans might be surprised to learn of the unexpected place that inspired “Mayor of Kingstown” — his own life. 

As “Mayor of Kingstown” gears up for its final season, the show’s creator opened up about how much of himself and his life goes into his projects. In the case of the crime drama about a reluctant mayor expected to maintain some semblance of control over a Michigan town running rampant with crime and incarceration, Sheridan really related to Michael “Mike” McLusky’s (Jeremy Renner) plight. He told Town & Country, “Here’s a guy in a place that he hates, attempting to hold this place together instead of leaving. That, to me, was pretty autobiographical, because there I was stuck in L.A. That’s what that was.”

Sheridan struggled for many years as an actor before turning to screenwriting, where he found his big break after selling the screenplay for “Hell or High Water.” He wrote screenplays that were made into critically acclaimed films, including “Wind River” and “Sicario,” before turning to television, with “Yellowstone” premiering in 2018. But at that point, Los Angeles was no haven for him, and Sheridan escaped first to his property in Wyoming and then Texas. He and his family finally made a permanent move to Texas in 2020, where they still live now. 

Taylor Sheridan found his home at a ranch in Texas

Unlike Jeremy Renner’s Mike McLusky in “Mayor of Kingstown,” who continues to stay and try to save the town, Taylor Sheridan never looked back after saying goodbye to Los Angeles. His big move to Texas began in 2013, when he bought the 600-acre Bosque Ranch in Weatherford. Over time, Sheridan expanded his land. In 2022, an investor group led by him purchased the historic Four Sixes Ranch in Guthrie, Texas. 

Sheridan, his wife Nicole, and their son Gus officially moved to Texas permanently in 2020, where the executive producer has been trying to shift as much of his work as possible ever since. “I don’t leave the ranch,” Sheridan shared with Town & Country. Instead, big-name stars come to him to talk about his projects, with both Michelle Pfeiffer and Helen Mirren visiting before starring in “The Madison” and “1923,” respectively. Sheridan has also helped spearhead a push to produce more TV shows in Texas. “Landman” star Billy Bob Thornton, who lives not far from Sheridan, testified to how much better the Lone Star State is for the “Yellowstone” creator than California, saying, “Holly­wood wasn’t nice to Taylor … I think the ranch community in Texas accepted Taylor 100% because he’s not phoning it in. He doesn’t go to the tourist cowboy shop and get an outfit. This is the real thing.”

Luckily for fans of Sheridan’s many TV shows, he can multitask, working on his ranches while still creating gritty fan-favorite television. Along with “Mayor of Kingstown,” he has a handful of other shows doing very well, with more seasons on the horizon, including two “Yellowstone” spin-offs. He also has a “Tulsa King” spin-off starring Samuel L. Jackson, “Frisco King,” in the works.