Billy Bob Thornton is now a familiar face to television audiences thanks to his leading role in the Paramount+ series Landman, but his path to the small screen was anything but straightforward. For decades, the veteran actor deliberately kept his distance from television, guided by an old-school mindset that once defined Hollywood’s rigid hierarchy between film and TV. Thornton has openly admitted that for much of his career, he resisted television roles not because of a lack of interest in storytelling, but because of deeply ingrained industry attitudes that shaped his early years as an actor.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Thornton reflected on why he stayed away from television for so long. He described himself as “late to the party,” explaining that when he was growing up, television was considered a lesser medium among movie actors. At the time, appearing on TV was often seen as a step down, something you did only if film opportunities dried up. That stigma stuck with him for years, and as a result, he turned down numerous television offers throughout the 2000s. Some of those shows later became major hits, though Thornton has never revealed exactly which projects he passed on.

His resistance was so strong that it took persistent pressure from his manager to make him reconsider. According to Thornton, his manager repeatedly tried to convince him that the entertainment industry was changing rapidly. He was told that television was no longer about disposable episodic content, but about expansive, character-driven stories that unfolded over time. His manager framed modern TV series as “long-form movies,” emphasizing that this format represented the future of storytelling. Even then, Thornton struggled to fully accept the idea, held back by decades of assumptions about what television represented.

Eventually, however, reality caught up with him. The lines between film and television were blurring, and prestige TV was gaining momentum. High-quality writing, cinematic production values, and complex characters were becoming the norm, especially on cable networks and emerging streaming platforms. Thornton finally took the leap when he accepted the role of Lorne Malvo, a chillingly calm and psychopathic hitman, in FX’s Fargo. That decision marked a turning point in his career and completely reshaped his perception of television as a creative medium.

The impact of Fargo on Thornton’s mindset was immediate and profound. The show demonstrated that television could offer the same, if not greater, depth than film, allowing characters to evolve gradually rather than being confined to a two-hour runtime. Thornton’s performance earned widespread acclaim and an Emmy nomination, validating his manager’s long-held argument and proving that television had transformed into something far more ambitious than it once was.

Not long ago, the idea of an A-list movie star committing to a television series would have been unthinkable. Today, it has become increasingly common. The rise of prestige television and streaming services has created an environment where established actors are drawn to nuanced narratives and morally complex roles that are often unavailable in mainstream films. Thornton’s transition into television reflects this broader shift within the industry.

After Fargo, Thornton continued to embrace television, headlining the Amazon Prime legal drama Goliath from 2016 to 2021. Over multiple seasons, he portrayed a flawed, emotionally scarred lawyer, a role that allowed him to explore vulnerability and personal struggle in a way that long-form storytelling uniquely permits. The success of the series further cemented his place in television and proved that his late arrival did not prevent him from becoming a major force on the small screen.

Now, with Landman, Thornton finds himself part of a growing trend of celebrated Hollywood veterans turning to television. Alongside actors such as Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford, and Sylvester Stallone, he has joined the expanding universe of series created by Taylor Sheridan. These projects often blend personal drama with high-stakes environments, giving seasoned actors the opportunity to draw from their own life experiences while inhabiting richly developed characters.

Thornton has spoken highly of Sheridan’s writing, noting that his stories are structured in a way that keeps audiences engaged and eager to see what happens next. He believes this quality is essential, as viewers naturally crave narratives that pull them forward. For Thornton, this kind of storytelling represents the pinnacle of what modern television can achieve, combining suspense, emotional depth, and character-driven drama.

Although he may have missed the earliest stages of television’s transformation, Thornton has more than compensated for lost time. His journey from skeptic to advocate mirrors the broader evolution of the industry itself. What was once considered a lesser medium has become a prestigious platform for top-tier talent, and Thornton’s career stands as a clear example of how embracing change can lead to creative renewal, even later in a long and accomplished career.