Rocky alum Sylvester Stallone shares a lot in common with his Tusla King creator Taylor Sheridan who, just like him, had to learn to write in order to ‘survive’ Hollywood.

‘There was a crossroads where I knew I was always going to be “thug number three” coming through the door,’ the 79-year-old Italian stallion told People on Sunday.

 

 

‘I saw the handwriting on the wall and knew I had to pivot, big time, and the same thing happened with him.’

The 55-year-old Texan first dreamed of becoming an actor and portrayed the dim-witted Danny Boyd in five episodes of Rob Thomas’ mystery drama Veronica Mars spanning 2005–2007 on UPN/The CW.

Taylor’s biggest role was playing the no-nonsense Deputy Chief David Hale in the first three seasons of Kurt Sutter’s crime drama Sons of Anarchy spanning 2008-2010 on FX.

 

 

Sheridan also had small roles in episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, CSI, NYPD Blue, Star Trek: Enterprise, Party of Five, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, as well as Walker, Texas Ranger.

Frustrated, the SAG Award-nominated actor ditched acting after turning 40 in 2010 and became a screenwriter, eventually penning Denis Villeneuve’s Mexican drug cartel drama Sicario.

‘He was a serious actor, but no one was giving him his break,’ Sly (born Michael) explained.

He realized the clock was running out, and he had to learn to write. He was always kind of a lonely kid, like I was. I was always making up fantasy stories in the mirror and all that stuff.

‘But I get his dilemma. I get the reason he pursued another career. It isn’t because you wanted to, you had to, or you’re gone. He’s a survivalist.’

Taylor (born Sheridan Taylor Gibler Jr.) later gave himself acting gigs in his very own penned and directed projects like Yellowstone, Lioness, 1883, and Hell or High Water.

Stallone originally met Sheridan ‘at a barn’ while riding horses and asked him to help him write the fourth Rambo film, which was released in 2008 with Art Monterastelli credited as screenwriter.

‘He called me and goes, “You want to play a gangster out of water in Tulsa, Oklahoma?” I go, “Oh — now there’s a challenge. Absolutely.”‘

Sly executive produced and reprised his role as Mafia capo Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi in the 10-episode third season of the Oscar-nominated screenwriter’s critically-acclaimed dramedy Tulsa King, which premiered Sunday on Paramount+

Taylor is quite prolific having also created hit shows like Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, and 1923.

Last Thursday, Sheridan and his wife Nicole Muirbrook rang in their 12th wedding anniversary, and they’ll celebrate the 16th birthday of their son Gus this Tuesday.