Moviefone Editorial

Tag: billy-the-kid

  • ‘Wasteman’ Interview: David Jonsson and Tom Blyth

    OO9XjwZ6

    Opening in US theaters on April 17th is the new prison drama ‘Wasteman’, which was directed by Cal McMau and stars David Jonsson (‘Alien: Romulus’ and ‘The Long Walk’) and Tom Blyth (‘Billy the Kid’ and ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’).

    UWEppBwwSnKGR15FfGlWI7
    (L to R) David Jonsson and Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R) David Jonsson and Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with David Jonsson and Tom Blyth about their work on ‘Wasteman’, Jonsson’s first reaction to the screenplay, Blyth’s approach to his character, shooting the riot sequence and filming in a real former prison.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Tom Blyth Talks ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2 and Making a Western

    David Jonsson in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    David Jonsson in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Moviefone: To begin with, David, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to help tell this story and play this character?

    David Jonsson: Well, I guess my first reaction to reading this screenplay was the feeling that this is real. I love films and making films is such a special process. But there’s very rare times when you’re working on something that has a root source material. So, I feel like that was in the script. The process of taking it from there to where it is now was very long. Making movies is heroic because nine times out of ten films fall apart, which is what happened with this film. Before either of us came aboard it, it fell apart and then years after it started to gain some momentum again. So, I’m grateful that we got to make this film not just because it feels like a special project, but because of what we were able to give to it, which I think was inherently quite deep.

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about the research you did for this role and how it shaped your approach and informed your performance?

    Tom Blyth: I started as I always do by reading and there’s a lot that goes into it, but I won’t bore the pants of you. I did some reading and listened to podcasts, and you listen, and you absorb as much as you can about the world that you’re living in. But then the main thing, honestly, was we had this charity on board called Switchback, who are a UK prison charity where they help recent prison parolees get back on their feet and get into work and accommodations and just have a place to go. They came on board as consultants, but very quickly became such an integral part of the film process that about 70% of the supporting cast are recent prison parolees who were involved in the charity. So, it gave the film this gritty realism, but at the same time it meant that we had this incredible living resource all around us. If at any minute we felt the “BS barometer” creeping up, you could turn to someone and go, “Is this feeling real to you? Would I be able to do this?” He’d turn around and say, “You know, maybe this way instead of that way. Or maybe you wouldn’t have that in your cell, so I’d get rid of that if I were you.” It just meant it was breathing the entire time and the whole thing felt rich and real.

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about shooting the riot sequence? Did you rehearse that scene or just go for it?

    TB: Most of the fight scenes were well planned and rehearsed, but that one was less so. That was one where they really did bring in six people with riot shields and riot gear and just threw them against us. Lorenzo (Levrini) our DP was amongst it with the camera, trying not to get hit. But there were gas canisters going off, like fake tear gas, and you couldn’t see a thing. You got all the guys playing in the background up above shouting and throwing water on us. It was chaos. It was absolute chaos and I ended up with a big gash in my hand and was bleeding all over the riot shields and you couldn’t quite tell what my blood was and what was the makeup blood. But the adrenaline was just so high, you just keep going and by the end, I was burned out. But it adds to the sense that you’re living it and it’s real.

    David Jonsson in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    David Jonsson in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Finally, David, I understand that you shot the movie in a real former prison. What were the vibes like in there and do you think it added to the tone and mood of the movie?

    DJ: Oh, it was spooky. There were spooky vibes all around. You know, your environment informs a lot of what you do, which is why films try to go to the right place. But this film, filming in a natural prison just gave us everything that we needed. In my opinion, I think it adds to the pressure cooker of this film because I do think it is a pressure cooker. I think it’s based in that, as Tom said, gritty reality. So, shooting in an actual prison, I think it’s like, you couldn’t write it. It’s exactly what’s meant to be.

    'Wasteman' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Wasteman’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    What is the plot of ‘Wasteman’?

    Taylor’s (David Jonsson) hopes for a fresh start post-parole are jeopardized by cellmate Dee’s (Tom Blyth) arrival. As Dee takes Taylor under his wing, a vicious attack tests their bond, forcing Taylor to choose between protecting Dee and his own chances at freedom.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Wasteman’?

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Movies and TV Shows Featuring Tom Blyth:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Wasteman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies and TV on Amazon

     

  • ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 3 Interview: Tom Blyth and Daniel Webber

    Vwhr2gCB

    Premiering on MGM+ September 28th is the third and final season of the popular Western series ‘Billy the Kid’, which stars Tom Blyth (‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’) as the title character, Daniel Webber (‘The Punisher’) as Jesse Evans, and Alex Roe (‘The 5th Wave’) as Sheriff Pat Garrett.

    NvNkIZu6g7TVMmnlCamNW4

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Blyth and Daniel Webber about their work on season three of ‘Billy the Kid’, what fans can expect from the new season, Jesse’s relationship with Billy, Billy’s final showdown with Pat Garrett, and what it was like for them shooting the final season of the show.

    (L to R) Tom Blyth and Daniel Webber star in 'Billy the Kid' season 3. Photo: MGM+.
    (L to R) Tom Blyth and Daniel Webber star in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3. Photo: MGM+.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Tom Blyth Talks ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2 and Making a Western

    Tom Blyth stars in 'Billy the Kid' season 3. Photo: MGM+.
    Tom Blyth stars in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3. Photo: MGM+.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Tom, can you talk about where we left Billy at the end of season 2 and where we find him at the beginning of season 3?

    Tom Blyth: Season two ends in the snow. It’s winter and Billy’s been sprung out of jail by his comrades, by his gang in a pretty dramatic escape with snow and fire and bullets. Then, season three, he’s very much on the run. He’s really an outlaw now. There’s no question about it. He’s living in the woods with his gang and essentially, I describe him this season as a Che Guevara kind of character. He’s almost a guerrilla warfare hero. He’s taking the fight to them, but he’s got to do it in such a way that he’s the resistance movement against this corrupt government in New Mexico, essentially, which is cool.

    MF: Daniel, can you talk about where we find Jesse at the beginning of the new season?

    Daniel Webber: So, Jesse’s dealing with the consequences and the aftermath of the war. I think on a personal level, he’s gotten essentially everything he wanted. He got power. He got his name recognition. He got money and status after the war, but he’s dealing with the consequences and essentially the blood on his hands. I think that there’s a certain guilt that he’s not even conscious of at this point, but there’s an instinct that he’s on the wrong path and there’s a transformation that is essentially starting very early on in the season. This season, so much of him is searching and we really get to see the underbelly of Jesse. We get to see the man. We’ve put a bit more flesh on him. I said before that we’re pulling the mask away. We’re seeing the cracks in the mask this season. Not just the bravado. Not just the swagger. Not just the dangerous, infamous Jesse Evans. We see who the man is next to the myth and carrying the weight of Billy’s myth in a sense this season. There’s a recklessness, I would say, to Billy the Kid. A wildness to Billy the Kid this season, which I don’t think we saw as much. I think he’s more the Billy the Kid that you might’ve heard from stories than what we’ve seen in the past and yeah, I get to be the guy who says, “No. Don’t do that.”

    Tom Blyth stars in 'Billy the Kid' season 3. Photo: MGM+.
    Tom Blyth stars in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3. Photo: MGM+.

    MF: Daniel, can you talk about Jesse and Billy’s friendship, where it went wrong, and will we see them have closure with that relationship before the end of the series?

    DW: You’ll have to just wait and see. Historically, what I’ve loved about telling this story is it is in three parts, this relationship where they are friends, and he is introduced into the outlaw life in season one and being an outlaw and joining the Seven Rivers Gang. That’s one part of history. The second part is the rivalry they had during the Lincoln County War when they got split on opposite sides. Then the final part that I’d always looked to from the start was that Jesse Evans wrote to Billy the Kid when he was put in prison after he was supposed to have this bitter feud with this man. He’s a vowed enemy, so to speak. The one person he writes to was Billy the Kid to come break him out of prison. That really told me a lot about what the true feelings of the relationship really are and the depth of that brotherhood. So, I always saw this, especially this season, as a reluctant relationship, reluctant brotherhood, but they’re mirrors for each other. He’s essentially the shadow half of Billy. He’s the wild, reckless, dangerous part and he’s what Billy could become. I think this season, their roles are almost reversing, where Billy is becoming a little bit more reckless, a little bit wilder. This season, we see Jesse, like I said, dealing with the consequences of the violence that he’s already acted out and, in some ways, trying to pull him back, trying to be the counterpoint, trying to survive when he is going into this Che Guevara revolutionary mode, trying to be the voice of reason. He’s probably the one person in the gang who can get through to Billy.

    MF: Tom, obviously we know from history how Billy’s story ends at the hands of Pat Garret. Can fans of the series expect a historically accurate ending or did you have the freedom to include some surprises?

    TB: I think we are playing real people, but so much about them is lost in myth and so much of the gaps are filled in throughout history by people who either weren’t there or were there but had an agenda. Pat Garrett wrote the book that most people take the history from, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to think that maybe that telling of history is probably a little bit biased or skewed towards Pat’s perspective or agenda. So, we use that logic to let us not off the hook but let us use our imagination a bit more and think, well, if other people have taken the facts and tried to fill in the gaps, we should do the same thing. So, Michael Hirst, the creator of the show, is good at essentially going, “Here are the things we know happened. Let’s fill in the gaps with our imagination throughout and try and tell the full picture from what we know.” In that, we also get to see a version of Billy that we haven’t before. We get to see some things that may or may not have happened, we just don’t know. So, without giving too much away, to answer your question, I would say there’s a lot of fact in there, a lot of history and there’s a lot of exciting stuff we haven’t seen before.

    Alex Roe stars in 'Billy the Kid' season 3. Photo: MGM+.
    Alex Roe stars in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3. Photo: MGM+.

    MF: Tom, was it bittersweet shooting season 3 knowing that it would be the final season and the last time you would play this character?

    TB: Yeah. It’s super bittersweet. I’ve loved this show. I love the people I work with. We’re like a family. We’ve shot it over the past four years, I think. Four years and it has felt like going back home every time. Every time we’re lucky enough to get another season, and I honestly think three seasons is perfect. It was always what Michael Hirst was hoping to get, was three seasons. He had a real clear image in his mind of the trajectory of Billy, Jesse, Dulcinea and Pat’s stories and I think we get to wrap it up in a concise, beautiful way and it’s exciting. It’s exciting to see it through. It felt like, I would imagine ‘Game of Thrones’ feels making, where every time you get a script, you go, “What? No. What?” I won’t say why or who, but characters that we start to fall in love with having moments that are real surprises. Michael really took it there this season. Just as you fall in love with someone, they’re ripped away in a dramatic way, but it makes for entertaining television.

    MF: Finally, Daniel, what was your experience like shooting the final season knowing that this was the end?

    DW: I don’t know if it was because we knew it was finishing, but I think there’s so many characters this season who were so integral last season that get killed and so we were saying goodbye the whole time. There are some real stakes to this season. Every episode has somebody who we love on a personal level, but also story-wise that is gone. So, it felt like, personally, I was grasping to hold onto this thing. Lots of twists and turns.

    Tom Blyth stars in 'Billy the Kid' season 3. Photo: MGM+.
    Tom Blyth stars in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3. Photo: MGM+.

    What is the plot of ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3?

    Following the end of the Lincoln County War, as both Billy the Kid (Tom Blyth) and Sheriff Pat Garrett (Alex Roe) have important issues to resolve – there is a reckoning to come. Billy is still at large, and Garrett is out to capture him, dead or alive. And with a bounty on his head, Billy can quit altogether and pursue a future with Dulcinea (Nuria Vega), the love of his life. But he has unfinished business with Garrett, who has betrayed him, and decides to stay. Meanwhile Jesse Evans (Daniel Webber), Billy’s longtime friend, rival, and enemy, also remains in Lincoln, searching for a newfound purpose and perhaps atonement for his sins. As the saga ends, Billy will fight like hell to try to finally find the justice that has long eluded him, even if it means he’ll die trying.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3?

    'Billy the Kid' season 3 premieres on MGM+ September 28th.
    ‘Billy the Kid’ season 3 premieres on MGM+ September 28th.

    List of Movies and TV Shows Similar to ‘Billy the Kid:’

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Plainclothes’ Interview: Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey and More

    0u0SeyP6

    Opening in theaters on September 19th is the new film ‘Plainclothes’, which was written and directed by Carmen Emmi, and stars  Tom Blyth (‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’) and Russell Tovey (‘The Good Liar’).

    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey and filmmaker Carmen Emmi about their work on ‘Plainclothes’, developing the screenplay, the true story that inspired it, Blyth and Tovey’s approach to their characters, and the forbidden relationship they have together.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Tom Blyth Talks ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2 and Making a Western

    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Carmen, can you talk about developing the screenplay and what were some of the themes that you wanted to explore as a director with this movie?

    Carmen Emmi: I wanted to explore what it feels like to police your feelings. That was always the goal with this film, and specifically, I wanted to take a closer look at my anxiety and think about how my anxiety created a barrier to love, I suppose, in my life, but also a barrier to me being my true self. That’s what I set out to explore doing this film.

    MF: Can you talk about the true story the film is based on?

    CE: Well, I saw it through the lens of Lucas’s coming out experience. I mean, specifically plot wise, this was inspired by real events, by a sting operation in Long Beach, California, that I read about. It happened in 2014, where officers would go undercover and lure and arrest men who are cruising in a public restroom. I think that this policing of homosexuality or policing in this way has even gone on until 2019, I’ve heard recently. So, it’s oftentimes when people hear the plot of our story, they think, “Oh, well, that, wouldn’t happen today.” But it is inspired by events that happened and happened recently. It’s unfortunately a part of our history. But when you get in that state of mind, you know, “Everyone will just reject me,” you start telling yourself these things when you suppress your feelings. I knew that it was beyond queerness. I think anyone with a secret can probably feel that in their family dynamics.

    Tom Blyth in 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about Lucas’ struggle to do his job while holding on to this secret and the guilt and paranoia that he experiences?

    Tom Blyth: Yeah, the whole film is about him trying to spin these plates, multiple plates at the same time of his own personality and his own life. Even Lucas not quite knowing yet, which are the real plates, and which are part of the façade he’s put on as a survival mechanism. Even once he meets Andrew, he adds a new plate to spin because he chooses at a different name. The first instinct he has is to say his dad’s name to cover up and to not be himself because he’s scared to tell Andrew his real name. So, he’s constantly having to lie and part of that is that he’s in this job at the police force as an undercover cop. So, he can’t stop lying and putting himself in these holes, but it’s all to do with his survival because he’s so scared of not being accepted for who he really is. So much of Carmen’s exploration of his own anxiety is in that story. So, it was it was a difficult place to live in for a month and a bit. To kind of go there every day but being surrounded by Carmen, Russell, Maria (Dizzia) and Amy (Forsyth), our amazing cast, and everyone. It was such a loving set to be on, which I think it had to be to tell a difficult story. But I think ultimately getting to see to see Lucas from A to Z and getting to have that breath of release at the end of the film that is a breath of hope and it’s complex and life is not going to be simple by any stretch just because he’s been able to be honest to himself. But certainly, as a release, he’s lived with this tension for so long and now he just gets to, even if it’s complex, be.

    MF: Russell, can you talk about your approach to playing this character, his relationship with Lucas, and creating that relationship on screen with Tom?

    Russell Tovey: Well, it was amazing working with Tom. We had very wonderful days on set. It was a joy to share these moments with him and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved. People believed this relationship and believed this connection and that’s something that you have no control over when you step on set. You hope and pray that whoever you’re love scene partner is, you can act that out. We were able to do that. So that was a given and we didn’t have to think about that. So that was wonderful, and special. This character for me is someone that is a study in shame. How do we live but carrying a deep embedded ingrained shame? And what that does to people. So, it was kind of great to play because I think as actors, we want to be challenged. This is a guy that is multilayered and is hiding in plain sight from himself. How he is with Lucas is unlike how he is with anyone else in his life. It was like this relationship gave him a space to be free and could be the most honest he ever could be ever in his life. That’s why it’s so tragic, I think, that they aren’t together. But for me, I just I love the challenge of this character. I just think he’s. sad, but full of love.

    Russell Tovey in 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
    Russell Tovey in ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: Russell, can you talk about the ramifications of this relationship for Andrew and what he has at stake?

    RT: Well, the stakes for him personally, are the highest ever. He’s married, he does admit it. He says he’s got a wife and he’s got kids and for him, his children are everything. He does not want to lose his children. If this all comes out, he might lose his children and he might never get to see them grow up. That for him overrides any persuasion he has within him to live out his sexuality. He has rules and he sticks to them. Even when he falls completely in love, the advice he offers Lucas is it’s going to hurt. This is going to really hurt, but you do get over it, and you might get this feeling again and it’ll hurt again, but you’ll get over it. This poor guy has been through pain after pain after pain and he’s never allowed himself to feel the full gamut of what that joy could bring him. This is a guy that has never experienced pure joy and probably never will. But through Lucas, he can give him the invitation to take that choice. I think that’s a real act of generosity that he has, and he wants to make sure that Lucas has a wholesome, as much as it can be, even though they’re having sex in the back of a minivan, first experience that doesn’t leave him scarred or in recovery from this. All he’s got to recover from is a swollen heart from emotions, not like psychological damage, I hope.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about Lucas’ grief over his father’s passing and does that add to the shame that he is feeling?

    TB: I mean, as Russell said, shame is such a big, through line for a bunch of the characters in the film, and not even just the characters who are dealing with having to repress sexuality. I think even the mother, the uncle, the shame across the board. I think Carmen’s written a great study on human shame and how we put it on ourselves and put it on other people when we need not do that. The damage it causes, you see the rifts in the family around Lucas that is all about the shame of how they judge each other. Sometimes they will hold each other to certain expectations. I can certainly relate to that and seeing your own family and how they judge each other or hold each other to certain expectations. But what I love about how Carmen wrote the family is that despite Lucas’s fear of being accepted by his mother and his family, if he were to come out, there’s also a lot of love there. These are not abusive parents. They’re not parents who have made Lucas think that that he won’t be accepted. A lot of the fear and the shame is Lucas assuming that he won’t be accepted because of societal expectations. I hope Carmen doesn’t mind me speaking to this, but we talked a lot about his experience with fear and coming out with family members. I’ve met Carmen’s family, and they are some of the most loving, generous, warm hearted, accepting people I’ve ever met.

    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
    (L to R): Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.

    Finally, Russell, what does this story mean to you and what do you hope audiences take away from watching the movie?

    RT: It’s a study of perfectionism. We all struggle, and these characters are all struggling with being the perfect societal example of what they’ve been prescribed and none of them can be. Nobody in life can be the version that society says, “This is what you have to uphold to”. So, everyone’s struggling in this film. Whether it is sexuality, whether it’s just being present and being in the room with the people, they’re all struggling. So, it’s a study on perfectionism. It’s a study on shame and hopefully so many people are connecting with this film on so many levels because it’s universal. That’s what we all go through. That’s what we all feel. No matter who we’re attracted to or not, we’re all struggling and we’re all carrying around shame. We all want to be this perfect version of ourselves, which we never can do.

    x2XKlk7e

    What is the plot of ‘Plainclothes’?

    Set in 1990s New York, a working-class undercover officer (Tom Blyth) is tasked with entrapping and apprehending gay men, only to find himself drawn to one (Russell Tovey) of his targets.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Plainclothes’?

    Theatrical one-sheet for 'Plainclothes', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
    Theatrical one-sheet for ‘Plainclothes’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Movies and TV Shows Featuring Tom Blyth:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Plainclothes’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies and TV on Amazon

     

  • ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2 Interview: Tom Blyth

    iWrE4tXg

    Premiering on MGM+ beginning June 2nd is the second part of the second season of ‘Billy the Kid,’ which stars Tom Blyth (‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’) as the infamous outlaw, Daniel Webber (‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’) as Jesse Evans and Alex Roe (‘The 5th Wave’) as Pat Garrett.

    Related Article: Executive Producer Michael Hirst Talks MGM+’s ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2 part 2.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Blyth about his work on ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2, Billy’s role in the Lincoln County War, his friendship with Pat Garrett, his rivalry with Jesse Evans, playing Billy over two seasons, and if it is fun making a Western.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2 part 2.
    (Center) Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the Lincoln County War has already begun. Can you talk about Billy’s role in the war and how that will continue in the second half of season 2?

    Tom Blyth: I mean, the Lincoln County War is what Billy is known for really. That’s where he made his name. He was this 20-year-old kid who basically took the county by storm because he was the only person willing to stand up for the injustice that he saw. That is true, he was like a Robin Hood figure in that sense. He really did want to stick it to the man and the man were these politicians in New Mexico who were just basically profiteering off the little people. We pick up at part two, coming out on June 2nd. Part two begins where we left off with Tunstall (Linus Roache) being killed, who was his mentor and father figure. Billy’s grieving. He’s also lost his beloved Dulcinea (Nuria Vega), which ended in a fiery fight where he didn’t want to give up the life and she needed him to give up the life. All he’s got left is the regulators and the guys around him who also want to try and fight to end the corruption in their neighborhood. We see him basically stepping up to become a leader after people for a long time were trying to make him a leader. He’s finally ready to step into those shoes and become a General, basically.

    MF: Can you talk about Billy’s friendship with Pat Garrett and how that will change now that Pat is Sheriff?

    TB: I love what (executive producer) Michael Hirst has done with it because I don’t think any of us before we read the scripts expected that Pat was going to come back so soon because the Lincoln County War was just started. The fact that at the end of part one, we saw Pat come back into Lincoln and announced himself as the new sheriff, it begs the question, whose side is he going to be on? He’s got old friends on both sides. He’s got Jesse’s gang on the side of the house, Billy and his friends on the other side. Pat himself is in a tricky situation where he’s going to want to be an honorable law enforcement member, or at least he thinks he is. He’s got two old friends on either side trying to get him to take their side. It’s a very tricky human situation to be in, except the stakes are life and death.

    Alex Roe as Pat Garrett in 'Billy the Kid' season 2 part 2.
    Alex Roe as Pat Garrett in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: Obviously, we know how Billy and Pat’s story ended in real life, but has it been fun for you to tease out that relationship in this series?

    TB: Yeah, I mean there’s so much that we don’t know as well. Some people think that Pat maybe colluded with Billy and let him get away. The history books tell us otherwise that Pat killed him eventually. The beauty of the dramatization is that we get to tell our own story. There are these two different truths that everyone thinks they know, and we get to work out what happened in between that. We don’t know where Michael Hirst wants to take it yet, and only he knows that whether he’s going to go with one of the two choices or go somewhere else in entirely. What we do know is that there is a whole massive relationship between Billy and Pat that is rich and troubled and that we don’t really know much about. The one book that is written about this time and about Billy and Pat was from Pat’s perspective. It’s interesting for Michael to write something that is not from Pat’s perspective, and we get to see or imagine what might have happened in the lead up to that.

    MF: Can you talk about the rivalry between Billy and Jesse Evens, how that escalates in the second part of season 2 and what it’s been like working with Daniel Webber?

    TB: I love Daniel. He’s become a very close friend. It’s funny, you can’t help but adopt some of your character’s traits and characteristics and point of view. Daniel and I laugh about it after we wrap. When we’re doing a scene together, we often get quite heated and it’s always good. We do go head-to-head on set and then afterwards we’re like, “What was that?” We’re like, “The characters are coming out in us.” Daniel and I have this kind of healthy competition that comes out naturally when we’re trying to work through a scene and it just fuels the scene, I think. Usually, it means that we do capture that kind of brotherly competition that they have and it’s so much fun. Me and Dan have a lot of love for each other.

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2 part 2.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: What have you learned about the life of Billy the Kid from playing this character over two seasons and has it been difficult bringing humanity and sympathy to the character?

    TB: He’s a character that everyone thinks they know because he’s a historic legend. Again, the history books are written from people’s perspectives. Like Pat Garrett wrote the main book on Billy. Pat Garrett is also the man who’s supposedly killed him, so I don’t know if we can take his word for it. Because of that, I’ve tried to formulate my own opinions, but really what I must do is not judge him. If I judge him, I can’t really portray him as a full human because then I’m going to be portraying him with a lens of judgment or a lens of was, he good? Was he bad? I’m way more interested in just keeping him in the present and in the decision making and the choices he makes, then the audience can decide for themselves. I don’t think anyone thinks they’re bad. Even people who commit atrocities probably don’t think they’re the bad one. They probably think they’re right somehow. Billy is somewhere on that spectrum and it’s interesting to delve into that.

    MF: Finally, director John Ford once said, “If they knew how fun it is to make Westerns, they wouldn’t let us do it.” Do you agree with that? Is it fun making a Western?

    TB: Wholeheartedly, I think that’s why they keep coming back because it is so much fun to make, unbelievable amounts of fun. It’s just putting on a hat and playing make believe, which is the purest form of TV and filmmaking. I think that translates to the screen. I think that’s why people like to watch them is because you can just sense that there’s like a swashbuckling, they’re like the pirate theme on land. There’s something adventurous about it, which speaks to our inner child. Yeah, it’s so much fun. By the end of season two, I got proficient. I feel comfortable in a saddle. When I’m not doing it, I miss it.

    NvNkIZu6g7TVMmnlCamNW4

    What is the plot of ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2?

    In Season 2 of ‘Billy the Kid’, Billy (Tom Blyth) gets caught in the middle of the Lincoln County War, a murderous conflict driven by money, greed and corruption. After enjoying a monopoly, Murphy’s Store is no longer the only player in town when Englishman John Tunstall (Linus Roache) moves to Lincoln and sets off a commercial rivalry. Law-and-order is no match for cowboy gangs and a secret society. Wild chases and shootouts abound. There are innumerable ambushes and killings. No-one is safe. After a pivotal assassination, things get very ugly, leaving Billy the Kid with an uncertain fate. Will he make it out of the Lincoln County War alive?

    Who is in the cast of ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2?

    • Tom Blyth as Henry McCarty / Billy the Kid
    • Daniel Webber as Jesse Evans
    • Alex Roe as Pat Garrett
    • Nuria Vega as Dulcinea del Tobosco
    • Horatio James as Charlie Bowdre
    • Luke Camilleri as Alex McSween
    • Brendan Fletcher as George Coe
    • Mark Krysko as Andrew “Buckshot” Roberts
    • Reilly Dolman as Richard “Dick” Brewer
    • Josh Cruddas as Fred Waite
    • Tom Carey as John Middleton
    • Javier Lacroix as Juan Patrón
    • Pepe Johnson as Tom O’Folliard
    • Guilherme Babilônia as Yginio Salazar
    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2 part 2.
    (Center) Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2 part 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    Other Movies and TV Shows Similar to ‘Billy the Kid:’

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Interview: Producer Michael Hirst

    fkFE2ZK3

    Premiering on MGM+ beginning October 15th is season 2 of the popular series ‘Billy the Kid,’ which was created by Michael Hirst (‘Elizabeth’).

    What is the plot of ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2?

    Based on the real life of legendary American outlaw Billy the Kid, and following the events of the first season, season two sees Billy (Tom Blyth) and his allies squaring off against his oldest friend Jesse Evans (Daniel Webber) and the corrupt powers of the Santa Fe Ring. When shots are fired, the conflict erupts into the bloody Lincoln County War. Amidst the fighting, Billy will struggle to hang onto his soul—and to the love of his life.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2?

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with show creator and executive producer Michael Hirst about season 2 of ‘Billy the Kid,’ what fans can expect from the new season, why making Westerns are so much fun, working with actor Tom Blyth, casting Linus Roache, Billy and Tunstall’s relationship, and why we as a public are still fascinated by the legend of Billy the Kid.

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    (Right) Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Moviefone: To begin with, war is coming to Lincoln County in season 2 of ‘Billy the Kid.’ Can you talk about that and where we will find the characters when the new season starts?

    Michael Hirst: So in a way, the first season of ‘Billy’ is a preparation for the Lincoln County War, because in Billy’s life that was pivotal. It was where he became famous around America and ultimately famous around the world. Strangely enough, I loved Billy when I was a kid of eight years old growing up in the north of England. He was a hero, but I didn’t just want to write about a cliche. I didn’t want to write about an outlaw, someone who just comes in the room shooting everyone, and who many people would regard as probably a pathological killer or there’s something wrong. The more research I did about him, I just discovered this really sensitive, young boy brought up by a mother who told him great stories, but was a very profound Catholic, and gave him a moral compass. That his father kind of stepped out of the family and couldn’t cope with America. The family, they were immigrants, and they were sent by the American government to one of the wildest, most dangerous parts of the country at the time. So, I wanted people to know that story. I wanted to dramatize that story. I wanted people to empathize with him. I was also, of course, introducing along the way other characters like Jesse Evans and the sheriff, who we’re going to crop up later. So we get to the Lincoln County Wars, and this is obviously where the stuff hits the fan. I mean, this is what you might call a real Western because there’s a shooting of a sheriff. There’s a lot of violence and brutality, and all centered around this commercial rivalry between two outfits, one of whom is Murphy’s Store, which has always had a monopoly of trading in that area of New Mexico because they were attached to this thing called the Santa Fe Ring, this group of very rich American businessmen who ran everything in New Mexico. They’re being challenged by an Englishman called Tunstall. Tunstall has problems with his father too, but then he comes to prove himself, but he doesn’t realize what he’s getting into. But he’s happy to hire Billy to be on his team because Billy already has a certain reputation. There are wanted posters for him, and everyone who works for Tunstall really says, “Look, who’s joining us now.” His ex-friend Jesse Evans, is with the House. So we are in a different world now, and it’s darker. It’s edgier. It’s still about the things that Billy cared about when he was growing up, that is to say immigrant issues. He sees what’s happening to the Mexicans. He always identifies with the underdogs. He has a profound sense of the injustices of the world and America at the time, as he was 19, which a lot of young people do. I hadn’t thought about that when I started, I was just concentrating on Billy. But these issues are contemporary. They resonate. They’re real issues now. The Lincoln County Wars, which killed about over 20 people in this nowhere town in New Mexico, became the scene of these horrific and insane murderous acts by people. I mean, the value of life was so low at that point. Billy takes a leadership role in these events, even though he’s 19, and goes through a terrible experience basically. So second season, we’ve upgraded in many ways. It’s a great production, great cast who love the show. It’s a very friendly company of people. But we don’t work at a studio. It’s all on location, and it’s all with real cowboys because Calgary, where it’s shot, is a center for cowboys. They have rodeos there. So our young cast has been riding with real cowboys. It’s just been a blast for them.

    Tom Blyth and Linus Roache in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    (L to R) Tom Blyth and Linus Roache in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: Director John Ford once said, “If they knew how fun it is to make Westerns, they wouldn’t let us do it.” Do you agree with that? Is it fun making a Western?

    MH: Well, it is fun making a Western, partly because of your sense of tradition. I don’t feel that I work in genres, and I don’t feel this is a traditional Western particularly. But you are aware of the tropes, and some of the relationships are what I would call sort of classical Western relationships that people have. So all that’s fun. The energy that goes into it and the fact that there are always horses, cattle, and crows on the set all the time, that everyone’s dealing with these things, and it’s very real. The cowboys are teaching the actors how to lasso cows and everything. So it’s incredible.

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: Can you talk about working with Tom Blyth and his charming yet vulnerable performance as Billy?

    MH: It’s been magical. It’s been wonderful. This is his first big role, and he’s only, I think, a year out of college. He was one of the first people to throw his hat into the ring. But I think we saw 400 people for the role. Obviously initially, we thought it’s got to be an American. The very first thing, of course, was he sent us a picture of himself or his agent did, and he looked like Billy. That was really weird. It’s like, “Whoa, wait a minute. This is too good to be true.” So we were going through all these young actors, and of course, many of them were very good, but they didn’t quite have what he had, which you sort of mentioned in a way. It’s a kind of steeliness and a sensitivity that you can tell is going on at the same time. His eyes are steely, but you know he’s sensitive, and I wanted that desperately. As I say, the last thing I wanted was a pathological killer. I wanted someone who was very human, but was capable of doing the things that he actually did. But it went on for quite a while, this process. I was throwing rocks in a way, because this guy, we didn’t know much about him at all. So I would say things like, “You know that Billy was actually famous for singing. He had a beautiful voice, and could play the guitar. He sang and he danced. Who knew?” So the next thing I know, Tom sends me a tape in which he’s playing his guitar and singing beautifully. I said, “All right.” We did go for him, and that was one of the best, obviously, decisions we’ve made in the whole thing, because it’s about him, and he has to carry it. Certainly, in the first season, he was just about in every scene. I mean, that’s quite something.

    Related Article: First Look at Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth in the ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    Linus Roache in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    Linus Roache in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: Can you talk about casting Linus Roache as Tunstall and the father/son relationship he creates with Billy?

    MH: That was a big decision at the end of season one, mainly because I knew that meeting Tunstall was going to be a monumental thing for Billy. It was going to change Billy’s life forever. So the relationship between Billy and Tunstall had to be very deep and significant, and we didn’t have long to build it up. We liked the guy who played Tunstall in season one, but he was too young to be the surrogate father. You wouldn’t believe it. And Linus and I actually are great friends. He was in ‘Vikings.’ He played a big role in ‘Vikings.’ We’re great friends, and we talk all the time. I wanted him on the show desperately. I wanted him for many roles in the show, but actually Tunstall fitted him like a glove. It was mainly the fact that he could talk to Billy sensitively, and he could talk about his own family, his father and all the things that concerned Billy, and his sisters and all that. That Billy, whose father just walked out of his life and died because he couldn’t cope with America, had really missed having a father. He saw his mother working herself to death because there was no father. So he did become Billy’s surrogate father. I knew Linus could bring that off. I knew that in the few scenes he had with Billy, they could establish a huge and deep rapport because Linus is a great and understated actor. He was a Shakespearian actor initially. He was so extraordinarily brilliant in ‘Vikings’ that I’ve felt myself very lucky that he came back and was in ‘Billy.’

    Daniel Webber in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    (Center) Daniel Webber in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    MF: Finally, there have been countless movies and TV programs over the years based on the legend of Billy the Kid. Why do you think we as a public are so interested in this outlaw’s story?

    MH: Yeah, I’ve thought about this. It may be because he’s not Jesse James. He’s a much younger guy, and he doesn’t rob banks. He’s not actually a conventional outlaw at all. As I say, he doesn’t want to be an outlaw. He wants to go straight. I mean, all the other famous outlaws chose to be outlaws, like Jesse Evans does in the show. He’s a born outlaw. He doesn’t ever want to go straight. Billy desperately wants to go straight. Everyone who knew him absolutely loved him. So I’ve been reading a book by someone who rode with him and repeats some of the things that Billy said. When you hear the voice in your head, you could say, “I like that guy. That guy’s really interesting and nice.” I think there are lots of reasons. That there is something incredibly attractive about a very young guy who can do phenomenal things. Let’s just take it as a Western. He could ride unlike anyone else. He could shoot unlike anyone else. He was as brave as anything. I don’t think he knew fear. There was no jail that could hold him. All those things are true about him, and they make a good myth. But what’s also true about him is, I think, he was very human and a nice guy, and I would’ve liked to meet him.

    Tom Blyth in 'Billy the Kid' season 2.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Billy the Kid’ season 2. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Billy the Kid:’

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies On Amazon

     

  • First Teaser for ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’
    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th, 2023.

    It’s a bold move to put out a teaser trailer before you have any real footage to show, and the movie is more than a year away, but after the confusion and chaos of the last two years and their pandemic-altered movie release schedules, it’s actually refreshing to see studios planting PR flags like this again.

    Of course, going so early with your first look at a movie means you can’t show off any of the film itself, so the teaser for ‘Hunger Games’ prequel movie ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is mostly just snazzy CG versions of the title’s creatures.

    With Lionsgate officially confirming that the movie is in the works at a big CinemaCon presentation earlier this year, most of the news so far has been in casting: ‘Billy the Kid’s Tom Blyth was announced earlier this month as the younger version of Coriolanus Snow, the man who will go on to become the tyrannical President of Panem (and played by Donald Sutherland in the ‘Games’ movies).

    And starring as the young tribute who impacts his life years before he ascends to command the county? ‘West Side Story’s rising star Rachel Zegler.

    Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the four ‘Hunger Games’ movies based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book trilogy, is back behind the camera for this new one, which has seen script work from Michael Arndt and, more recently, Michael Lesslie.

    duxV55ZT

    The story finds 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow as the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

    But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

    Though if we’re honest, given that one of the characters becomes famous for singing and one is the man who will grow up to sneer for an entire country, we’re not really in much doubt as to which is which.

    At least with the presence of a brand-new character, we can expect a little drama as to whether Lucy will actually make it out of the games alive – Snow, of course, will go on to rule, but his journey will be about how this experiences changes him… For better or worse. Having seen the Presidential version, we’re going to go ahead and assume worse.

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th, 2023.

    U5NGv1rB0QpQgWj0tkBMm2