Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton has launched a staunch defence of his collaborator, the prolific television creator Taylor Sheridan, suggesting that Hollywood's awards bodies are unfairly snubbing Sheridan's work for political reasons.
The 'Political' Prejudice Against a Hitmaker
In a candid new interview with Variety, published on Monday 19 January 2026, Thornton addressed the notable lack of major award recognition for Sheridan's phenomenally popular shows, including the cultural juggernaut Yellowstone. Thornton, who stars as seasoned oil executive Tommy Norris in Sheridan's Paramount+ series Landman, was speaking after the show's second season finale.
"I think a lot of it's political," Thornton stated bluntly. "I really do. I think some people assume Taylor is some sort of right-wing guy or something, and he's really not." He argued that this assumption colours how the industry's elite view Sheridan's nuanced storytelling, even in a series like Landman, which is set in the world of Texas oil.
Thornton emphasised that Sheridan's approach is journalistic rather than polemical. "Even with this show being about the oil business, he just shows you what it's like. He's not saying 'Rah, rah, rah for oil.'" Instead, Thornton explained, the series explores the human stories within that high-stakes industry.
A Clash of Culture and Perception
The runaway success of Sheridan's universe—encompassing Yellowstone, its prequels, and shows like Landman—has coincided with a surge in cowboy culture and certain strands of American popular conservatism. His narratives frequently touch on themes of:
- Rugged individualism
- Gun rights
- Scepticism of government authority
This has led commentators like New York Times columnist Ross Douthat to label Yellowstone, fronted by Kevin Costner, as "the most red-state show on television."
However, Sheridan and his colleagues have repeatedly pushed back against this simplistic characterisation. In a 2022 interview with The Atlantic, Sheridan pointed to his shows' critiques of corporate greed, the displacement of Native Americans, and land-grabbing, rhetorically asking, "That's a red-state show?"
Industry Recognition vs. Audience Adoration
The disparity between Sheridan's commercial dominance and his awards cabinet is stark. Despite being the most-watched cable show (non-sports) since the peak of The Walking Dead, the flagship Yellowstone series garnered only one Primetime Emmy nomination across its entire five-season run.
This sentiment was echoed by another Sheridan collaborator, Luke Grimes (who plays Kayce Dutton), in a 2024 interview with The Independent. Grimes suggested that superficial symbols trigger snap judgments. "I think a lot of people see a cowboy hat and a horse and they think, 'Oh, that's not for me, those people believe differently,'" he said.
He contrasted this with the reception given to morally flawed characters in urban settings, like Succession's Logan Roy, implying a coastal cultural bias within the awards industry. Thornton's intervention amplifies this growing critique, framing the lack of accolades for Sheridan not as a question of quality, but of perception and political presumption in Hollywood.
