The name Taylor Sheridan has practically become synonymous with the Western genre, though there is one great Western actor who still has not made an appearance in any of his shows. Following the end of other Yellowstone shows planned, Sheridan shows no sign of slowing down.
While Sheridan is the clear king of the Western genre at the moment, there have been many great performances in Taylor Sheridan's show, it is unsurprising that Yellowstone and its spinoffs have remained so popular. It seems likely that both Yellowstone's spinoffs and Sheridan's stand-alone shows will remain in the spotlight, and there is one actor who would be a great addition to his roster.
Timothy Olyphant's Deadwood & Justified Roles Would Make Him Perfect For A Taylor Sheridan Western Show
Olyphant Has Proven Himself A Capable Cowboy-Type Character
Timothy Olyphant has been acting since the 1990s, beginning with roles in films like Scream 2 and Go, and his fame has progressively increased since then. Notably, in the 2000s, Olyphant gained attention for starring as Seth Bullock in the HBO series Deadwood. Deadwood followed the exploits of the residents of the real town during the 1870s, creating a taste of the wild west that immediately received rave reviews and won eight Emmy Awards over its three-season run. Olyphant's performance as the historical sheriff also received praise.
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Where Deadwood gave Olyphant a more historical approach to the Western genre, his later show, Justified, placed him as a neo-Western cowboy-like U.S. Marshal. Justified immediately makes it clear that Raylan Givens is not a typical government agent; he is more than happy to seek out his own form of justice. As a result, Givens' approach to problems may not always be the most orthodox, but Olyphant's performance as the complex Marshal does make the show incredibly entertaining.
Deadwood could perhaps be most similarly compared to 1883 in its setting and themes, with Justified sharing similarities to Landman.
With both a historical drama and a modern crime approach to the Western genre, it is safe to say that Olyphant would be the perfect choice to cast in a Sheridan series. Deadwood could perhaps be most similarly compared to 1883 in its setting and themes, with Justified sharing similarities to Landman. Both of Olyphant's big Western shows are considered some of the genre's best, proving that his skills could easily transfer over to any of Sheridan's works.
Taylor Sheridan's TV Shows Have Already Recruited Some Of The Most Iconic Modern Western Actors
Even One Of Olyphant's Former Co-Stars Has Made Appearances
If Olyphant were to eventually the cast of one of Taylor Sheridan's Westerns, it would not come as a surprise at all. In fact, it would continue a great trend of Western actors returning to the genre through Sheridan's works. This began as early as Yellowstone itself, with Kevin Costner taking the lead role of John Dutton. Previously in Costner's career, the actor starred in his acclaimed film Dances with Wolves, Wyatt Earp, and Silverado, and he has stayed in the genre more recently as well with Horizon: An American Saga.
Westerns make up some of Sam Elliot recently ed the cast of Landman, which Thornton leads as Tommy Norris.
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In short, there is no shortage of great Western actors in Sheridan's shows, including ones that Olyphant has starred in. Sheridan's shows have all been incredibly entertaining and had their own unique approaches to the genre, but another part of what makes them fun for audiences is seeing genre stars do what they are best at, whether that may be upholding their own brand of justice or serving as ruthless outlaws.
Timothy Olyphant Hasn't Led A Western Series Since Justified's Revival
Olyphant Has Stepped Back From The Genre For Several Years
Olyphant has certainly stayed busy since the end of Justified in 2015, but many of his projects have fallen outside the Western genre. Notably, Olyphant starred in the comedy series Santa Clarita Diet and Fargo on television as well as appearing in movies such as Snowden, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Amsterdam, Havoc and more. He also reprized his role as Seth Bullock in 2019's Deadwood: The Movie which received great reviews and was nominated for various awards.
His return to the role of Raylan Givens was also well-received and served as a great reminder of Olyphant's talent at playing the rough but charming modern cowboy character.
Beyond returning to the world of Deadwood, Olyphant's only other recent Western work was Justified: City Primeval in 2023. His return to the role of Raylan Givens was also well-received and served as a great reminder of Olyphant's talent at playing the rough but charming modern cowboy character. However, since the 2023 series, Olyphant has primarily worked on voice roles for animated series, but he has a few new live-action shows in the works.
Timothy Olyphant's TV Shows Are Very Different From His Past Roles
Olyphant's New Projects Are Very Different Genres
Despite being best known for some of his Western roles, Olyphant's career has spanned across many genres, and his projects will continue to do the same. Audiences can look forward to seeing Olyphant in the Apple TV+ series Stick in an undisclosed role. The comedy series will also star Owen Wilson, and will premiere on June 4, 2025. He is also slated to feature in the Hulu series Alien: Earth in a starring role alongside Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, and Adarsh Gourav.
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Alien: Earth is the newest addition to the Alien franchise and will see the series' villain make a crash landing on Earth. The sci-fi horror series already looks incredibly entertaining, and Olyphant has starred in the genre before. However, given how great both Deadwood and Justified are, it would still be incredibly exciting to see Olyphant return to Westerns, and something in the Yellowstone franchise or a future season of Landman could be the perfect way to achieve that.
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Based on the fictional stories by Elmore Leonard, Justified is a neo-Western crime drama following the adventures of Old West lawman Marshal Raylan Givens, who is reassigned to his home county in Kentucky after a controversial shooting.
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Yellowstone
Yellowstone is a neo-Western drama series created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, centered on the Dutton family and their fight to protect the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch from various adversaries, including land developers and nearby reservations. Premiering in 2018 on Paramount Network, the show has been praised for its depiction of power struggles, family loyalty, and rural conflicts. It has expanded into a franchise with spin-offs such as 1883 and 1923, and an sequel series is in development.
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