Taylor Sheridan has dropped what feels like a major casting bombshell for Yellowstone fans: before a single word of the 1883 script existed, he personally requested Paramount hire Young Sheldon actress Isabel May. He wanted her in from the start, shaping the story around her as Elsa Dutton
Sheridan’s unconventional process flips traditional Hollywood casting on its head. Rather than writing a character first, he secured his ideal actor and tailored the role around her. He discovered May during an audition for Mayor of Kingstown — not for 1883 — but immediately knew she would be Elsa.
At his urging, Paramount struck a deal before any script pages were drafted. “Paramount made a deal at my request with Isabel before a word had ever been written,” Sheridan explained. That move set the creative foundation for Elsa’s entire narrative arc in the Yellowstone universe.
His actor-first approach has become a hallmark of his storytelling process. He used the same method to bring in icons Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren before scripting 1923, and similarly recruited Billy Bob Thornton ahead of Landman. The result: characters feel uniquely alive, grounded in the strengths and instincts of the actor portraying them.
For fans of the Yellowstone “verse,” this revelation confirms what many suspected: Sheridan builds his stories around the people he trusts to carry them. And when he found May—transitioning from Young Sheldon into breakthrough Western lead—he recognized a central pillar for the emotional resonance of 1883 and beyond.
Why It Matters
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Authenticity & Emotional Depth: By writing Elsa around May’s voice and presence, Sheridan ensured a deeply felt and nuanced performance.
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Strategic World-Building: This approach reveals Sheridan’s long-term investment in expanding his universe with actors he believes in.
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Continuity Across Series: May’s role continued into 1923, making her one of the few actors with recurring presence across multiple Yellowstone prequels.
In short: Sheridan didn’t just hire Isabel May; he made her the emotional core around which 1883 and future
