1883 Star Tim McGraw: Taylor Sheridan Lives Up To His Hard-Nosed Reputation

Taylor Sheridan is said to be meticulous about getting things right, and according to Tim McGraw, that's not just a rumor. However, that hard-nosed dedication was a trait McGraw appreciated while working on "1883," and he believes it's one of the reasons why Sheridan's shows are so successful. 

McGraw opened up about Sheridan's approach to his shows in a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Taylor is a stickler for authenticity," he told the outlet, adding that not one detail would go unnoticed. McGraw noted that that was even the case when it came to horseback scenes. "He would come up and say, 'You know, a cowboy wouldn't have his feet in that position or wouldn't have his hands in that position,'" the actor recounted. That's not to say the Western showrunner didn't leave any room for interpretation, though. Far from it, McGraw also said he was simply zoned in on the non-negotiables. "He says, 'I'm just trying to make you look good. Everybody rides a little differently, and it's fine to ride a little differently, but there are a few things you need to be authentic and true to,'" McGraw recalled. 

Considering his background as an acting coach, it's not surprising that Sheridan is so committed to picking up the finer details on set. In fact, though Sheridan has turned his life around in a very big way by creating so many popular series, many of the stars of his shows have continued to laud him for his coaching ability. One of those was "Lioness" star Nicole Kidman, who gushed at a  Paramount+ and Puck's Icons of Taylor Sheridan's Universe event, "He's an incredible acting coach, still. You can call him and have one call with him, and he'll give you four words at how to play the scene" (via People). High praise from an Oscar winner!

Other than Tim McGraw and Nicole Kidman, many other stars have also applauded Taylor Sheridan for his approach to his productions. Even Sam Elliott, who told Sheridan flat-out that he didn't like "Yellowstone," has said he was seriously impressed by his writing. Speaking to Variety about his "Landman" role being one of his most emotional to date, he explained, "One of the great gifts about Taylor's material is that it just allows that kind of emotion to flow."

Elliott's on-screen son Billy Bob Thornton has also spoken highly of Sheridan's writing, telling Awards Radar, "Taylor wrote some wonderful scripts, and his writing is pretty tight." He also hinted that the actor-turned-writer-producer-extraordinaire liked keeping things exactly as he'd envisioned, noting, "There's not a lot of improvisation on his stuff. As a matter of fact, I'd say Taylor and the Coen brothers, who I worked with a couple of times, they've had scripts that you stuck to more than anybody I've ever worked with." Granted, he said Sheridan was somewhat more laid-back with him because of his own track record as a writer and director, but even then, Thornton chose not to do his own thing. "His writing is so good that I rarely do anything outside of it," he said. 

"Lioness" star Zoe Saldana has also spoken highly of Sheridan's attention to detail when crafting stories. "When you work with him is when you realize how passionate he is about actors and about acting," she told People. That said, she did also acknowledge that his standards were seriously high. "He does raise the bar. And you have one of two choices. You either accept the challenge and make sure that you don't f*** up ... or you quit," she said. Well, it is the Taylor Sheridan Universe!