Are Taylor Sheridan’s shows too conservative for Hollywood?
Billy Bob Thornton steps up to defend Landman: “A lot of people imagine that Taylor Sheridan is some kind of far-right guy, but that’s absolutely not the case!”
While Landman has just concluded a second season that is still as provocative, in many ways, Billy Bob Thornton returns to the tone of the show, the themes it addresses and its point of view going against the grain of the dominant discourse in Hollywood.
In Landman, he plays Tommy Norris, a central figure in a story that observes America through a prism rarely highlighted in contemporary Hollywood productions. More conservative, without a doubt, Landman directly addresses the subjects of the time such as ecology, feminism or gender issues – but from another point of view, without trying to stick to the “zeitgeist”. An assertive approach, which seeks first to speak to a more traditional America, often absent from the stories promoted by the industry, but which has found a wider resonance, as Billy Bob Thornton is still surprised when interviewed by Variety:
“It’s interesting, because we were very surprised that the series became an international success. We thought it would speak mainly to Midwest America, maybe not even to West Coast or East Coast America! And ultimately, we have fans in Africa, South America, Canada, Australia, England, everywhere!”
According to the actor, this global echo is due to one essential thing: freedom of tone. “The characters are fully who they are. We say and do what we have to say, without walking on eggshells for fear of what someone might think. I believe that some people like to see this freedom, especially when they don’t have it in their own lives. And then, the series also shows the behind the scenes of an environment that we almost never represent.”
Taylor Sheridan, misunderstood by Hollywood?
Landman – like Yellowstone, and other Taylor Sheridan series – never hides its opinions. A political, or at least societal, approach which, according to Billy Bob Thornton, would slow down its recognition by the Hollywood industry:
“I think it’s very political, yes. A lot of people imagine that Taylor is some sort of far-right guy, when that’s absolutely not the case.”
The actor insists on a persistent confusion between representing a world and promoting it:
“Even when the show talks about the oil industry, it doesn’t say ‘hooray for oil’. It just shows what it is. The people who work in it, the people who are affected by it, the families, the peripheral circles. This is what’s happening. These are the problems, the joys, the victories, the failures. It’s a world of constant gambling, where you never know what’s going to happen. But many have misinterpreted that.”
Is Landman too right-wing a series for Hollywood? Billy Bob Thornton is convinced of this. But deep down, he makes fun of the lack of official recognition:
“When you put your heart and soul into something you love, and you’re happy with your work and it works, that’s the reward. That’s the way I look at it. I’m too old now to worry about that kind of thing. I’ve already got enough awards. I’m sure the people I work for aren’t going to like me saying all that. But when I say I’m too old, I mean I’m too old not to tell the truth!”
Despite their massive success on the platforms and with the public, Taylor Sheridan’s series have often been absent from the ceremonies, whether Landman, or Tulsa King or Mayor of Kingstown. Billy Bob Thornton was nominated in 2024 in the Best Actor category at the Golden Globes, but only Kevin Costner managed to win a trophy (a Golden Globe) for Yellowstone, in 2023.
