It has been a great year for Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton, who lead successful programs. Bates stars in «Matlock» of CBS, a reinvention of the 80’s drama, playing a lawyer who hides his true identity of his colleagues to obtain justice for his daughter. Meanwhile, Thornton becomes the executive of the ruthless oil company of the Tommy Norris chain in the «Landman» of Taylor Sheridan in Paramount+.
While they are on completely different paths as actors, they know each other for three decades, they are first associated with the «primary colors» of Mike Nichols, where Bates tried to learn from the legendary director and turned to him to receive advice. «I said: ‘What can you tell me about working with an actor?'» Bates, asking Nichols. «And he said: ‘Only Amoles’.»
But it turns out that the couple almost met before «Primary colors»: on the set of the most famous movie and winner of the Bates Oscar.
Billy Bob Thornton: There was a time when I entered and read for Rob Reiner for «misery.»
Kathy Bates: You did not do it.
Thornton: I swear by God. Originally, Richard Farnsworth, who played the Sheriff, had a deputy. I saw Rob Reiner for it. And Rob said directly in the room: «You are the guy. We can send everyone else home.»
I was very excited. And I received a call from Rob Reiner, not many directors would do this, he called me and said: «Listen, I have been watching the script and I have been planning what I’m going to do with this movie.» He said: «You can come here and shoot this for money or insurance or what I need, but I only tell you that it will not be in the movie.»
Bates: Oh, go.
Thornton: He said: «I don’t want you to come here waiting for this to be in the movie. And I didn’t want me to disappoint.» He said: «But I will leave it to you. Do you want to come to shoot it anyway?» And I said: «No.»
I thought it was very great on his part.
Bates: Yes, very great.
Can we talk about «Landman»? I have so many questions.
Thornton: I am happy to answer.
Bates: We had this cocktail; Sharon Stone and I organized. I was asking you about how you played this role, and she interrupted. I was so fucking angry! Did you have time to really gather (with the cast) and meet you, or simply jump?
Thornton: We had to jump. We had a cast dinner before starting. I do not know if this makes sense or not, but they are all personalities so specific that chemistry almost happened. Ali Larter (who plays Thornton’s ex -wife’s fighter) explodes in the room with half stop and begins to go. It only makes you say: «What are you talking about, love? Leave me alone. I’m trying to watch television.» And Michelle Randolph is like a kitten.
Bates: Oh my God.
Thornton: I have a 20 -year -old daughter at the university, so that’s why it’s so easy for me to play that. At the same time, the things she tells me? Oh my God. We really become a family, and I know that people say a lot, but it really is true in this case.
The first television role I did was «Matlock.»
Bates: I didn’t see it. Everyone always asked me that: I saw the program?
Thornton: And that was a conscious choice.
Bates: Well, let’s say it was a conscious choice. I saw a couple to see what I could get out of it, but our program is very different. I feel that this part was written with me in mind. Jennie Snyder Urman created it. And I’m lucky because I listened, originally, they wanted to do (my character) the great -great -grandson of Andy Griffith. Then she would be 30 and so many. But Jennie took a walk, and came to her who wanted to write something about older women and feel invisible.
When I first read the script, I thought, this is only episodic, and I am not interested in doing so. And then I finally got to the end, and this turn is. I said: «Oh, yes, I’m inside. I’m inside.» Because he really had one foot.
Thornton: Actually?
Bates: I simply felt that I was getting small papers in movies that I loved that people weren’t watching. I began to ask myself: «Is this what I want to continue doing? Do I want to sell the house and maybe move to France and call it a day?» And then I got this script. I look good as a glove.
Production: Bauie+Rad; Production Design: Francisco Vargas
(Tagstotranslate) Actors on actors
