Taylor Sheridan Appeared in 1996 Thriller Her Costly Affair

Before becoming a prominent television creator, Taylor Sheridan worked as an actor, including a supporting appearance in the 1996 NBC thriller Her Costly Affair. The film starred Brian Austin Green as a student who becomes dangerously obsessed with his married college professor, played by Bonnie Bedelia, while Sheridan appeared as a background character named Chris. The movie also featured Amy Smart, who later appeared in films including Road Trip, Rat Race, and Just Friends.

Despite its cast, Her Costly Affair did not achieve lasting prominence in popular culture or receive any awards, according to the source report from TVLine. Sheridan's acting career spanned 1995 to 2011, but he struggled to secure a major breakthrough. Although he landed recurring roles on Veronica Mars and Sons of Anarchy in the late 2000s, those jobs did not provide sufficient financial stability, according to his account.

In June 2026, Sheridan discussed his departure from Sons of Anarchy during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show. He explained that the experience convinced him to pursue writing his own material rather than continue relying on acting opportunities.

"I realized my value is 'I'm imminently replaceable' and that my business did not respect me. ... The people that have all the power are the people telling stories, so I'm gonna tell my own stories." Sheridan said on The Howard Stern Show.

His move into screenwriting subsequently brought him greater professional recognition. Sheridan sold his first screenplay, Sicario, which received three Academy Award nominations, followed by Hell or High Water, which earned four Oscar nominations.

Those screenwriting achievements helped establish the foundation for Sheridan's television career. He later co-created Mayor of Kingstown and developed Yellowstone, whose success led to spin-off series and additional productions under his deal with Paramount. Financial figures cited in industry reports illustrate the scale of that career shift. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Sheridan had $800 in his bank account when he sold his first screenplay, while The Wrap reported that his work had generated more than $800 million for Paramount by 2025.

Although Sheridan continued acting in some of his own television productions after becoming a screenwriter, his career increasingly centered on creating and developing stories. His early appearance in Her Costly Affair remains a lesser-known credit from his years working to establish himself in the entertainment industry.