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).
Headspace Health has just launched the 'Headspace for Teens' social impact initiative, which will offer free access to the Headspace app for all teens ages 13 - 18 in America. Alice Nathoo, head of social impact at Headspace joins Cheddar News to talk about the program.
Many brands and industries are announcing their predictions for new trends to watch in 2022. According to Forbes, cooking robots and plant-based meat are just some of the many food trends that are expected to dominate. Jeff Crivello, CEO of BBQ Holdings, joins Cheddar News to discuss more.
YouTube star and dancer JoJo Siwa and mom Jess Siwa joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about their show "Dance Pop Revolution" alongside their girl-group XOMG Pop who were formed from the show's competitors. JoJo, who got her own start on Lifetime's "Dance Moms," talked about the differences between competing at such a young age to having the opportunity to executive produce her own project. She also talked about her time on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and competing as the franchise's first same-sex couple.
Boxed, an e-commerce grocery platform that sells bulk consumables to businesses and household customers, began trading under the ticket symbol "BOXD" after completing a transaction with SPAC Seven Oaks Acquisition. Chieh Huang, co-founder and CEO of Boxed joins Cheddar News to talk about the company's growth.
Live music took a big hit last year, and many artists had to cancel or postpone their tours to 2022. Many partnered with the graphic novel company Z2 Comics to make money by creating unique comic book stories. Josh Bernstein, executive vice president of Z2 Comics, and Sridhar Reddy, founder and publisher at Z2 Comics, join Cheddar News to talk about the company's popularity.
On this episode of Your Future Home, Ryan Trudell, VP of Landscape Architecture, Creative Environments, breaks down factors that have led homeowners to become wearier of their living spaces, driving greater demand for outdoor living experiences; Jean Chatzky, CEO of HerMoney.com, discusses ways new homeowners can protect their budget and restore some peace of mind—even if they’ve made the decision to waive an inspection; Cheddar breaks down everything you need to know about how to properly winterize your home.
Not only do outdoor living environments increase the number of spaces you now have for entertainment, but you will see a high return on investment and add value to your home. Ryan Trudell, VP of Landscape Architecture, Creative Environments, joins Your Future Home to break down factors that have led homeowners to become wearier of their living spaces, driving greater demand for outdoor living experiences.
Jean Chatzky, CEO of HerMoney.com, joins Your Future Home to discuss ways new homeowners can protect their budget and restore some peace of mind—even if they’ve made the decision to waive an inspection.