After creating the critically acclaimed western series Yellowstone, Taylor Sheridan teamed up with actor Hugh Dillon to write his next big show, Mayor Of Kingstown, starring Jeremy Renner in the lead. After gaining a lot of success with fans and critics, the Paramount series has now been renewed for a 3rd season which will air in June 2024.
Dillon, who acted in Yellowstone as well as in this thriller drama, spoke extensively about his collaboration with Sheridan and how the Veronica Mars actor’s mentorship guided him to pursue his love for writing. He also addressed the casting choices made by his co-creator, especially with regard to one actor who perfectly fit the bill as a chilling antagonist.
Taylor Sheridan Perfectly Cast Aidan Gillen For This Role
Many times, the success of a show depends not only on how well it is written, but also on the actors chosen to play the various characters envisioned by the creators. Actor-turned-writer Taylor Sheridan has proved that he is a master in this regard.
The Yellowstone director and writer, who has created his next blockbuster series Mayor Of Kingstown with actor Hugh Dillon, made some great choices for the various characters in the show starting with Jeremy Renner as the impressive central protagonist in the thrilling gangster drama.
Among the other roles, Sheridan cast Irish actor Aidan Gillen as a brutal Russian mobster Milo Sunter who is serving time in jail for his heinous acts. Dillon, who was the co-collaborator in the writing and casting process, lauded the Sons of Anarchy actor for choosing Gillen for the role which turned out to be a masterstroke. In an interview with Screen Rant, he stated,
“Once he wrote the scripts, and they were masterful, he knew it was about the casting. My first choices were Dianne Wiest and Jeremy, and then he said, ‘Aidan’s great,’ It didn’t even occur to me, but once you see Aidan in the frame, you can’t see anybody else doing it.”
Having been an actor himself, Sheridan’s keen mind and instinct about the perfect stars to play the different parts came to the fore fully. This is a defining factor in the celebrity’s shows working well with audiences across the world.
Taylor Sheridan Almost Cast Robert Redford For Yellowstone
While Hugh Dillon was full of compliments for Taylor Sheridan for his perfect casting choices in Mayor of Kingstown, the Sicario writer was once involved in a rather big faux pas when it came to choosing his cast for Yellowstone.
While the original production house HBO and the creator agreed that a big star was needed to play the protagonist, Sheridan’s first choice Kevin Costner, who ultimately played the central lead, was rejected by a few decision-makers.
Following this, the actor went to Robert Redford in an attempt to get him for the part and even confirmed his presence in the series before realizing that he had made a huge error owing to a miscommunication between him and HBO. Recalling the incident, Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter what went down.
“I drive to Sundance and spend the day with him (Redford) and he agrees to play John Dutton. I call the senior vice president in charge of production and say, ‘I got him!’ ‘You got who?’ ‘Robert Redford.’ ‘What?!‘ ‘You said if I got Robert Redford, you’d greenlight the show.’ And he says — and you can’t make this s**t up — ‘We meant a Robert Redford type.’ ”
Ultimately when the miscommunication was cleared, HBO backed out, which then allowed Sheridan to go with Kevin Costner for the role of John Dutton. This move proved to be the right one for the show, judging by its very successful run.
Both seasons of Mayor Of Kingstown can be streamed on Paramount Plus.
