Born and raised in Utah, Nicole Sheridan has always been one of the boys – a tomboy, as she called it. Growing up, she loved playing high school basketball and riding horses for hours on the ranch her grandparents own near Jackson, Wyoming. But her exquisite visual – green eyes inherited from her blonde-haired German mom and stunningly defined facial features from her Mexican/Lebanese heritage on her father’s side – took her in a different direction and earned her a career in modeling and acting.
But after marrying Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan and having a kid with him, they moved out of the city and back into rural life. Now, she is enjoying her life surrounded by acres of green grass and hundreds of horses.
From the Mountains to the City
Nicole Sheridan, former Muirbrook, was born on March 19, 1983, and was raised with her younger brother in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her parents worked blue-collar jobs while her grandparents owned a ranch in the mountains near Wyoming, Jackson, where she spent most of her time riding horses. When she wasn’t hanging out with the horses, she was playing basketball or shopping with her mom at the local mall.
And it was during one of those shopping trips that she was scouted by an agent from NEXT, a modeling and talent agency based in New York City. At first, she didn’t seem to like the idea. In an interview with Ken Amorosano for Cowgirl Magazine, Nicole shared, “I was very much a tomboy. I never wanted to brush my hair. I was always in the dirt. Just super tomboy. And I was like, I don’t know, maybe.” But her mom, former Miss America runner-up, convinced her to say yes.
In her early teens, Nicole graced the covers of Vanidades, Vogue, Marie Claire, Blush, and Bella. She traveled to fashion landmarks such as Paris, Italy, and Milan and immersed herself in local culture. After some time, she did stints in Los Angeles and Miami and eventually shifted to Hollywood in her early 20s. She landed roles in the popular US sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005), The Human Contract (2008) directed by Jada Pinkett Smith, Dark Blue (2009), and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (2009). But among all her Hollywood credits, she was best known for her 2008 TV commercial for Lynx/Axe Bullet’s “Don’t let opportunity pass you by.”
Meeting Taylor Sheridan
In 2006, Nicole Muirbrook tied the knot with American film editor Christian Wagner. But after two years, the couple, unfortunately, decided to divorce.
RELATED: The Creative Genius of Taylor Sheridan: Movies & TV Shows List
Fast forward years later, Nicole met Taylor Sheridan, who at the time was appearing in Sons of Anarchy and side hustling as an acting coach. The two actually met through his coaching, and it didn’t take long before they started dating and moved into a flat in LA’s San Fernando Valley. During the initial stretch of their relationship, they struggled to make ends meet as they juggled through mortgage, rent, and food. But after the back-to-back success of Sheridan’s screenplay for the feature film Sicario and the independent film Hell or High Water, the couple found their footing.
The Ranch Life
Taylor Sheridan and Nicole Muirbrook wed in 2013, shortly after the birth of their baby boy Gus. And after Sheridan got his big break in Hollywood, the family moved to Park City, Utah. But according to Nicole, Taylor didn’t like the snow. Recalling the moment, she said, “So, he rolled over one morning and said, ‘Honey, we’re getting the hell out of here,’ and I’m like ‘Where are we going?’ ‘We’re going to go to Texas,’ he replied.”
The family currently resides in Weatherford, Texas and operates their very own Bosque Ranch, where they have over 100 horses, many in training for reining and cutting. And 12 dogs, a few chickens, and cats, who were mostly from her rescue efforts.
Bosque, a premiere equine facility, can be booked for rodeos, film and TV shoots, concerts, and festivals, as well as charity and other private events. Visitors can also enjoy a unique dining experience at Nic’s bar (named after Nicole) as well as a touch of Yellowstone with a big neon logo of the show on the bar and yellow-stoned tables at the outdoor patio. According to her Cowgirl interview, Nicole’s role at the ranch is independent.
Aside from working, Nicole is also actively pursuing her passion for cutting and horses. She has two cutting horses, her mare Sweetie and her 5-year-old Simba. She did have a cutter named Red before Sweetie and Simba, who is now retired. In December 2020, Nicole and Sweetie won their first buckle at the Careity Cancer Charity cutting horse competition in Fort Worth. The event beneficiary was the organization’s cancer foundation, and Nicole’s grandma passed away due to cancer, so it made the win so much more memorable. Nicole is also a board member at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and a volunteer in charity and elderly care institutions.
When asked about her hobbies, the model-turned-equestrian shared that she loves cigars, specifically the Cuban Monte Cristo No. 2, fishing though she ‘hasn’t quite figured out Texas fishing,’ and working out and staying fit through boxing.
Her son Gus also loves Texas as much as she does. She said, “He’s never on his phone. He’s never on his Xbox. He’s always outside with the dogs, fishing with his buds, or roller-skating in the barn. He also ropes, so he’s often on horseback. He’s just always doing something.”
What’s next?
Taylor and Nicole Sheridan recently bought the historic 6666 Ranch located in Guthrie, Texas, along with a group of investors. The Four Sixes Ranch sits on 260,000 acres of land and is home to the legendary Quarter horses and Black Angus cattle, as well as a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic and facility. And if you’ve been updated, Taylor is currently working on a Yellowstone spinoff series, ‘6666,’ which is expected to come out this 2023. So we’ll most likely see Sheridan’s ranch and maybe a Nicole cameo as well? Who knows! But we’re crossing our fingers on this one.
