Billy Bob Thornton currently occupies an important place on the small screen. “Landman,” the Taylor Sheridan-created series about oil and crime, is a huge hit on Paramount+, and Thornton’s performance as Tommy Norris is exceptional. That said, the actor has a history of taking his talents to big shows, with David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro’s legal drama “Goliath” being a particular standout among his impressive list of credits. The series won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series in 2017, and it’s worth adding it to your watchlist if you like “Landman.”
“Goliath,” currently available on Amazon Prime Video, stars Thornton as Billy McBride, a down-on-his-luck, goateed lawyer seeking redemption. He is divorced, prone to alcohol, lives in a motel and tries to do right by his daughter. Once upon a time, there was a successful law firm, only to fall out with its co-founder and fold. Billy is damaged goods, but he’s the underdog we want to root for, especially when he’s brought back on the path to his old company.
“Landman” fans will love “Goliath” because the show is tailor-made for Thornton’s sensibilities. He excels at playing flawed, but still rather lovable, thieves like Billy and Tommy, and he approached both series from a similar perspective.
Billy Bob Thornton brought a lot of himself to his roles as Goliath and Landman
Billy Bob Thornton has claimed that his personal life influenced “Landman”, with his experiences as a husband and father explaining his approach to the series’ family scenes. Likewise, “Goliath” saw the actor tap into his true self to bring Billy McBride to life, as he once revealed in a conversation with AARP:
“I try to play this role like it’s me, and it’s not that far from me, anyway. He may be a mess personally, but he has his flaws. He believes in justice and fairness – probably more than the law.”
It seems Thornton is drawn to characters of this ilk, as Tommy Norris is also a flawed character who leads a messy existence in “Landman.” Both of his characters tend to find themselves overwhelmed – both in their personal and professional lives – by drinking heavily and smoking cigarettes. This isn’t to say that Thornton is repeating himself when it comes to his career choices, but Tommy and Billy could probably get along in a few ways.
