In an exclusive sit-down during a break from filming his new oil industry drama Landman, Thornton, 70, said what many Americans have been thinking for years.
“There’s a time and place for that,” the Bad Santa star said of Hollywood’s nonstop political grandstanding. “When you’re getting a trophy for pretending to be someone else, maybe just say thank you and sit down.”
Thornton said awards nights should be about recognizing the cast, crew, and families who make those careers possible — not hijacked for woke lectures.
“Don’t go up there and talk about saving the badgers in Wisconsin or something — you know what I’m saying?” he told reporters, rolling his eyes.
Thornton — known for his no-nonsense Southern bluntness — said if these ultra-wealthy celebs really cared about the causes they parade around on stage, they’d be putting their money where their mouth is.
“If you’ve got a billion dollars, then f**king save them,” he said flatly. “You’ve got more than enough to save all the badgers — and the forests — and probably half of the planet.”
“People want to use fame as a megaphone, but they forget they already have the power to do something about it. Quietly. Effectively. Without boring the rest of us for eight minutes on live TV.”
Thornton’s comments come at a time when Americans are increasingly tuning out of Hollywood’s virtue-signaling and tuning back into reality under President Donald J. Trump’s second term. With patriotism back on the rise, many see these Hollywood monologues as outdated — or worse, ungrateful.
According to a 2025 Pew study, over 60% of conservative-leaning viewers said they’ve stopped watching award shows altogether due to “political preaching” and “elitist attitudes.”
“It’s always some millionaire telling working-class folks how to live,” one voter in Ohio told FOX News. “We’re done with it.”
Thornton’s current role in Landman, a hit Paramount+ series produced by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, has kept him squarely out of the culture war crossfire. He plays a no-nonsense fixer in the Texas oil industry — a character much closer to Thornton himself than any Hollywood activist.
“We’re drilling for oil, not lecturing people,” Thornton joked. “That’s more my style.”
Thornton didn’t name names — but he didn’t need to. His message was clear: award shows are for honoring talent, not campaigning for causes.
“People say, ‘I have a voice.’ Yeah — so do the people watching at home. And they’re sick of being told they’re the problem.”
America, it seems, still loves a straight shooter — and Billy Bob Thornton just pulled the trigger on Hollywood’s biggest ego trip.
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You are so-o-o correct. Thanks to u also!
Here is a guy that knows which side of his bread is buttered. Thank you Billy Bob Thornton as you have it right about these stupid awards shows – it like they are patting themselves on the back, turned off these award shows a very long time ago.
The majority of so-called “entertainment” members are nothing but self-promoting crackpots having little or no understanding of what issue they’re promoting. Only the weak of mind among us should ever bother listening to whatever they’re shouting out of their pie-holes. Their only objective is ti grab a few seconds of press coverage and corrupt the minds of our young.
Billy Bob Thornton (and Ricky Gervais) have it right on this one. Say \”Thank you,.\” Take your trophy , and go back to your seat