Taylor Sheridan played David Hale in Sons of Anarchy in its first couple of seasons, and his death came as a surprise. Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy introduced the audience to the motorcycle club of the same name, which resided and operated in the fictional town of Charming, California. Initially led by President Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) and VP Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam), Sons of Anarchy followed the club through many conflicts and tragedies, both within the club and with other groups. Throughout seven seasons, SAMCRO faced different villains and antagonists, and among the latter was David Hale.
Hale made his debut in Sons of Anarchy season 1, and he was the Deputy Chief of the Charming Police Department, with Unser as his boss. Unlike Unser, Hale wasn’t allied with SAMCRO, and he wanted to get rid of the club out of genuine moral concern. Hale was supposed to take Unser’s place after his retirement, but Clay didn’t let this happen. Hale was an antagonist not because he was evil but because he had a strong moral compᴀss and adhered to the law, but his presence only lasted two seasons and one episode.
Taylor Sheridan Left Sons Of Anarchy Over Salary – And To Focus On Writing
There Was A Lot Going On Behind The Scenes
Unser was on SAMCRO’s payroll, which is why they got away with a lot for years. Hale, however, wasn’t on SAMCRO’s side, and he genuinely cared about Charming and its safety, so he believed that getting rid of the club would be for the benefit of the town. Hale failed at this, but his moral compᴀss remained intact, and he even sided with SAMCRO when he believed it was right. Despite Hale’s role in the show, Sheridan left Sons of Anarchy at the beginning of season 3.
The problem grew and got more serious when Sheridan’s attorney was told Sheridan wouldn’t get paid more because he was “not worth more.”
Speaking to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline in 2021, Sheridan revealed his problems with Sons of Anarchy started with salary disputes. Sheridan shared he was offered a “very unfair” wage, less than “virtually every other person on the show” and not enough for him to quit his second job. The problem grew and got more serious when Sheridan’s attorney was told Sheridan wouldn’t get paid more because he was “not worth more.” This made Sheridan quit Sons of Anarchy, as he felt disrespected (and with good reason), but this ended up being a positive change for him.
Sheridan noted that the main problem was how the business saw him back then, and he decided not to perpetuate that image. Sheridan understood that his calling was telling stories behind the scenes, so after quitting Sons of Anarchy, Sheridan made the transition into screenwriting, where he found great success and the praise of critics.
Why & How Sons Of Anarchy Killed Off Dave Hale
David Hale Died In Sons of Anarchy Season 3
At the end of Sons of Anarchy season 2, SAMCRO prospect Half-Sack (Johnny Lewis) was stabbed to death while defending Jax’s then-girlfriend, Tara (Maggie Siff), and Jax’s baby son, Abel. Unfortunately, Half-Sack’s killer, Cameron Hayes, kidnapped Abel and returned to Ireland with the baby. Sons of Anarchy season 3 started strong, and it featured Half-Sack’s funeral. Hale attended with his brother, Jacob (Jeff Kober), and Unser, but after the service, a van pulled up and began firing at the crowd. Hale wasn’t sH๏τ, but he was run over by the van and dragged along the street.
Sutter came up with Hale’s death in case contract negotiations with Sheridan fell through, which is what ultimately happened.
Hale died defending those at the funeral, but that didn’t make his death any less shocking. Sutter told TV Guide in 2010 (via Digital Spy) that he came up with Hale’s death in case contract negotiations with Sheridan fell through, which is what ultimately happened. Sutter added that they “creatively fell in love” with that idea, so they moved ahead, and Hale was killed.
Hale’s death was one of the most unexpected Sons of Anarchy moments for me, as with his brother now an active part of the story, I thought Hale was going to last for a while and continue to do his thing in Charming. Hale’s death seems unnecessary, but leaving his fate open would have ultimately brought more problems for Sons of Anarchy, creating plot holes and more. However, Hale’s death made way for a bigger villain.
How Taylor Sheridan’s Exit Changed Sons Of Anarchy
Dave Hale’s Death Made Way For A Bigger Antagonist
David Hale’s death left a spot open for a bigger antagonist: his brother. Jacob Hale Jr. was a businessman, and he was the one who brought Ethan Zobelle and AJ Weston to Charming, with the idea of helping him get rid of SAMCRO. Thanks to this, Jacob was responsible for one of the most traumatic things to ever happen to Gemma, and their racist ideas were a problem not just for SAMCRO but for Charming, in general. Hale later ran for mayor, which he used to manipulate many, including Unser, and he ended up winning the election.
Of course, not even Hale being mayor and planning a set of luxury homes named Charming Heights ended SAMCRO or broke the club. Instead, Jax and the club did what they could to stop Hale and mold his plans for the benefit of Charming and the club. David Hale’s death pushed Sons of Anarchy forward with new villains and antagonists, so as tragic as it was, it ultimately benefited the show.
What Taylor Sheridan Has Done Since Sons Of Anarchy & When He’s Acted Since
Taylor Sheridan’s Career Didn’t Stop After Sons Of Anarchy
As mentioned above, after leaving Sons of Anarchy, Taylor Sheridan made a career change and began to focus on screenwriting. His first movie as a screenwriter was Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve. Sicario was a critical and commercial success, earning nominations for different awards, with Sheridan’s writing getting a lot of praise. Next was the neo-Western crime drama Hell or High Water, for which Sheridan got nominations at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. Then came the Western crime movie Wind River, which Sheridan wrote and directed, which was also well-received by critics.
Although Taylor Sheridan’s first credit as a director was the horror movie Vile, he considers Wind River as his feature debut.
After that, Sheridan wrote the movies Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Without Remorse, and Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, also directing the latter. Sheridan has also found great success on TV, as he created the TV shows Yellowstone, 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, 1923, Tulsa King, Lioness, and Landman. As for his acting career, Sheridan has slowed down but hasn’t abandoned acting. After Sons of Anarchy, Sheridan appeared in one episode of NCIS: Los Angeles, had a cameo in Hell or High Water, and played Brian in the 2018 war movie 12 Strong.
Sheridan’s most notable acting roles have been Travis Wheatley in Yellowstone, Charles Goodnight in 1883, and Cody Spears in Lioness. Taylor Sheridan made the right decision to leave Sons of Anarchy, which not only helped the show move forward but also prompted a very successful career change for him.
Sources: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, TV Guide, Digital Spy.
