Billy Bob Thornton has suggested that Taylor Sheridan's television work is unfairly overlooked during awards season because of assumptions about his political views. The actor, who stars in Sheridan's oil-industry drama Landman, said the perceived bias stems from a belief that the Yellowstone co-creator is right-wing.
Speaking to Variety after the Landman season two finale, Thornton said: "I think a lot of it's political. Some people assume Taylor is some sort of right-wing guy or something, and he's really not. 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.'" He added that the series depicts the lives of those working in and affected by the industry, including their problems, joys and triumphs.
Sheridan's shows have enjoyed enormous popularity alongside a broader surge in cowboy culture and conservative-leaning themes across the United States. In 2022, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat called Yellowstone "the most red-state show on television", reflecting a common perception of the franchise as appealing to right-leaning audiences.
Sheridan has previously rejected that characterisation, telling The Atlantic that the show addresses the displacement of Native Americans, the treatment of Native American women, corporate greed, gentrification of the West and land-grabbing. His actor Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton, also defended the series in a 2024 interview with The Independent, noting that viewers often see "a cowboy hat and a horse" and make assumptions, while flawed characters like Succession's Logan Roy are judged differently.
Despite its ratings success, Yellowstone received only one Primetime Emmy nomination across its five-season run, even as it became the most-watched non-sports cable show since The Walking Dead at its peak.
