Billy Bob Thornton: Streaming TV Is the New Indie Film
*By Conor White*
As a veteran of the indie film circuit, Billy Bob Thornton appreciates what streaming television has done to pick up the mantle of creative storytelling.
"The Amazons of the world have really taken over the spot that was held by the independent film renaissance of the late 80's through the early 2000's," said Thornton, the star of "Goliath" on Amazon Prime. "Because that's pretty much gone, the studios are mostly doing event movies, this is really a place where I can go in and do an eight-hour independent film."
Thornton rose from no-name character actor to star in 1996 with his own independent film "Sling Blade", which he wrote, directed, and starred in. He won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay, and nabbed a nomination for best actor.
The 62-year-old actor has received recent accolades for his performance as down-and-out lawyer Billy McBride in "Goliath," winning a Golden Globe last year for best actor in a drama series.
But the show's success is no guarantee it will continue to win viewers' attention when the second season is available for streaming on Amazon on Friday, June 15.
"You kind of feel the pressure of that a bit, it's like we kind of got to up the game, because there's so much good stuff out there these days," Thornton said. "I got to tell you, I think they did it."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/billy-bob-and-goliath).
Business communication platform Slack, recently released its fifth wave of results from its global workplace survey from its Future Forum consortium, showing that the workforce has already moved to a split between working from home and going to the office. “We are now officially in the hybrid era of work,” Slack Future Forum VP Sheela Subramanian said when discussing the findings. "Hybrid is a work model where people can come into the office as well as work remotely, and what we're seeing is that the majority of knowledge workers are now in this arrangement — and that number is set to grow."
Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, founder of Strategy + Rest,
joins Cheddar News to discuss UK's pilot four-day workweek and its impact on workers' mental health.
Ed Gaussen, co-founder and CEO of Mantra Health, and Matt Kennedy, co-founder and COO of Mantra Health, joined Cheddar News to discuss the digital mental health startup's latest funding round and plans for the future.
Charles Platkin, executive director at Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, joins Cheddar News to discuss how food insecurity affects our mental health.
Actor Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard on HBO's "Euphoria, recently addressed how she feels about the stigma attached to nudity in acting for women versus men. Sweeney noted she also made a request to avoid doing unnecessary nude scenes, which was supported by series creator Sam Levinson.
Actor and singer Chrissy Metz, who stars as Kate Pearson in "This Is Us," is partnering with Capital One Auto Navigator to share her story of purchasing her first car to help make car buying easier for others. "For me, I know a car was so important because of course it took me to the auditions to get me to the place I have today," she said. "But it also means empowerment and freedom and accessibility, and I think everybody is deserving and in need of that." Metz also discussed the final season of her hit show, noting that expectations for the finale "will probably be exceeded."
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*