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Sylvester Stallone says Hollywood abandoned Middle America as Taylor Sheridan found an ignored audience
Sylvester Stallone says Taylor Sheridan’s success comes partly from telling stories for Middle American viewers whom Hollywood has overlooked. He argues that audiences have been “starving” for stories with a different feel from those centred on California and New York, and says streaming services can respond quickly to that demand.
Stallone doubts Hollywood has yet caught up in its film-making. His own career began with *Rocky*, the 1976 film he wrote and insisted on starring in despite executives’ reservations about casting an unknown actor; a 2026 biographical drama, *I Play Rocky*, will tell that story, though Stallone did not take part. He has since reached a television audience in Sheridan’s *Tulsa King*, playing a New York mobster sent to Oklahoma after 25 years in prison.
In short
- Stallone says Hollywood overlooked Middle American audiences.
- He credits Sheridan with finding viewers hungry for those stories.
- Streaming can bring shows to audiences quickly.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Stallone’s view is that Hollywood has too often treated the experiences and tastes of people outside its coastal centres as peripheral, leaving a substantial audience with few stories that feel familiar to them. Sheridan’s success suggests that viewers will respond when creators take those settings and perspectives seriously, while streaming services can help meet demand more quickly than traditional film-making.
The case against
A strong counterargument is that Sheridan’s popularity does not by itself show that Hollywood abandoned Middle America: audiences may be drawn to compelling characters and drama regardless of setting, and successful stories from one creator cannot establish a wider industry pattern. Hollywood also serves varied audiences, and its concentration on major markets or familiar genres may reflect commercial constraints and audience reach rather than a deliberate disregard for any region.
Explained simply
Taylor Sheridan is a screenwriter and producer whose television dramas include Yellowstone and Tulsa King. Many of his stories are set outside the large coastal cities that often feature in American films and television, and have attracted viewers across the country.
Sylvester Stallone is an actor and screenwriter who became widely known through Rocky, a 1976 boxing film he wrote and starred in. He later joined the cast of Tulsa King, playing a New York mobster sent to Oklahoma after prison. The debate is about how well Hollywood recognises audiences whose lives and interests are less often shown on screen.
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