'Yellowstone' Creator Taylor Sheridan Says Hollywood is Run by Executives Who 'Know Nothing About Storytelling'

Taylor Sheridan, the creative force behind the Yellowstone franchise, has launched a blunt attack on the leadership currently running Hollywood. In a wide-ranging appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, the writer and producer argued that the modern entertainment industry is failing because key decision-makers lack genuine storytelling experience.

Sheridan contends that studio and network executives often rise through marketing or legal departments rather than creative ones. He believes this professional history leaves them ill-equipped to judge scripts, resulting in a culture of panic where executives try to control every detail because they do not understand how to develop a narrative.

Sheridan discussed everything from television critics to the way modern films and TV series are developed, as he remains one of television's busiest producers, with multiple hit series such as Landman and The Madison, and a reputation for maintaining tight control over his projects.

Sheridan Blames Hollywood's Decision-Makers

According to Sheridan, today's studios are increasingly overseen by executives whose careers did not begin in creative roles. He suggested many rose through departments such as marketing or legal before reaching positions where they decide which projects move forward.

'They're the ones that are going to determine whether or not your script is going to go into production. They're going to try to control every element of that. The executives who 'know nothing about storytelling,' he said.

Sheridan argued that this lack of storytelling experience often leads executives to second-guess writers and directors.

'Well, what do you know about developing story? You know nothing,' the creator said. 'So they get terrified, panicked that the audience won't get it because they actually have no storytellers,' he continued, pointing out that some of these studio executives overreact out of concern that audiences will miss key plot points, leading them to make unnecessary creative changes.

Meanwhile, he contrasted that mindset with the philosophy he adopted when he began writing. Sheridan said he intentionally avoided following common Hollywood practices, believing many productions relied on storytelling shortcuts because creators had not fully developed their ideas before bringing them to the screen.

'I knew when I started writing [I wanted] to simply not do what everyone else was doing,' he said during the podcast episode, adding that it creates unnecessary fear during development because those leaders lack confidence in the storytelling process. 'What everyone else was doing was taking shortcuts, essentially breaking all the very basic fundamental rules of storytelling, because they couldn't figure out their story,' he reiterated.

Why He Refuses to Follow the Formula

Sheridan said he has deliberately avoided following many of Hollywood's established habits since becoming a writer. Rather than chasing awards or tailoring his work to satisfy critics, he said his priority has always been creating stories that connect with viewers on an emotional level.

'You're not going to win no Emmys with me, but I'm not trying to win Emmys,' Sheridan told podcast host Bill Simmons. 'That's not my goal. My goal is to sit somebody on their couch and move them, make them think, make them laugh, scare the s--- out of them, excite them. That's what I want to do, because that's what I want from a show,' he added.

That philosophy also explains why Sheridan prefers maintaining creative authority over his productions. During the podcast, he described his projects as guided by a single creative vision rather than by committees in which numerous executives weigh in on story decisions.

Sheridan also criticised the heavy use of exposition in many modern blockbuster films, arguing that audiences are often told what is happening instead of discovering it through action and character development. He believes visual storytelling remains one of the most effective ways to keep viewers invested.

'With a movie, you're supposed to show me what's happening. The camera is supposed to move the story. The dialogue is supposed to tell me how the people in this world feel about what's happening or what they hope to do or what they wish they hadn't done or had done,' he said during the podcast.

Sheridan also made it clear that criticism from reviewers has never influenced his approach to his work, saying he is largely indifferent to what critics think of his projects. 'The critics are going to come after me. I'm underutilising [Moore], can't write for women, all this nonsense. Then I'm going to kill your husband and you're going to have to run the oil company,' he told the podcast host.

'The critics and me... I don't care what they think, and it annoys the shit out of them that I don't care. I'll be the first to tell you that there are things that I do that rage bait them a bit, and this is one of them. F--- 'em, honestly,' he added.

Sheridan remains clear about his professional goals. He does not aim for awards or critical praise. His focus is on connecting with viewers on an emotional level. He wants to move, scare, and excite his audience. He refuses to change his process to satisfy industry expectations, and he admits that his disregard for critical approval often annoys the reviewers themselves.