There are many cases where the same showrunners take actors from projects they have previously worked on and give them offers for upcoming works with Taylor Sheridan being no different. Hugh Dillon became one of the few who went from Wind River to Mayor of Kingstown. Jeremy Renner too met a similar fate. However, for Ryan Bingham, the case was almost the same.
The actor almost had an opportunity of starring alongside Jeremy Renner in Wind River. Although not the same, he got the chance to play Walker in Sheridan’s Yellowstone. One of the most loved characters, Walker had a lot of impact on the fans despite his little screen time. Although he was first asked to write a song for Renner’s film, his true calling stood as an actor in the series.
Taylor Sheridan Wanted Ryan Bingham as a Songwriter First
During an interview for the Bobby Bones Show, Ryan Bingham talked about how Taylor Sheridan first came to him for a song in Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen’s Wind River. While that did not go the way he first wanted it to, Sheridan was not one to lose hope.
“I never really kind of came up with anything that stuck. And whenever this show came around he contacted me about writing some songs for the show, and then he found out that I could ride horses.”
Sheridan came back when Yellowstone came into the picture. His initial idea had been to hire Bingham as a songwriter, something both of them were greatly open to as well. The creator came back to the star and talked about wanting to create some songs for the series.
While the aesthetic and overall theme would have matched incredibly, it was what Bingham said afterward that changed Sheridan’s plans completely. The former’s revelation changed his career plans as well.
Taylor Sheridan Needed to Get Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham, while talking on the Bobby Bones Show, stated that he told Taylor Sheridan about his talent for riding horses. He also elaborated on his past experience in the rodeo. The revelation made Sheridan change his mind. He then wanted Bingham to instead have a more fitting role in the show rather than become a songwriter for it.
“I used to rodeo, and he said, ‘Well, shoot, we gotta write you into this show.’” He added, “He said, ‘You know, we’ll see how it goes. If you do good then we’ll keep you on,’ and he said, ‘If you suck we’ll just kill you off.’”
Bingham then took on the role of Walker. A morally focused fan-favorite character who may be a wanderer at first but knows how to stay out of trouble at the same time. He has his priorities set straight for him. A career he loves and a destination he seeks. However, Sheridan wasn’t aware at first of what to do with Walker.
Sheridan had no idea how the character would work. Were he to be well received by fans then he would stay, if not, then Walker would have met his untimely demise out of lack of popularity.