Millennials might find it hard to believe that Varsity Blues was officially released 25 years ago. Its lead actor, James Van Der Beek, has stayed active in Hollywood since, but recently announced that he has colorectal cancer. The news has certainly sent shockwaves and sadness throughout showbiz and his fanbase. MovieWeb recently caught up with one of his Varsity Blues co-stars, Ali Larter, who has also been busy over the years, especially with her role opposite Billy Bob Thornton in the new Taylor Sheridan series, Landman. Larter reflected on her and Van Der Beek’s hit high-school football film — which also featured the late, great Paul Walker — all these years later.
“I wish [James] only the best. I haven’t seen him in a very long time,” Larter told us. “Amy Smart is still one of my best friends. We were actually roommates in Milan before we got Varsity Blues, which was amazing. I met her in Italy, and then I moved to Los Angeles, and she was my only friend there. And then I got Varsity Blues, and then she got it also, which was just amazing. And so she’s just one of the all-time greats, and I was so lucky.” Larter continued:
That was such a special movie, and it was such a special group of people that worked on it. And it’s just, you know, it’s wild to think it’s been 25 years. And obviously, we will always be so sad about Paul. And it’s just part of life, I guess, but of course, it doesn’t make it easier.
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Fan-Girling Over Taylor Sheridan
Decades later, Larter is still stealing scenes in on-screen performances, the latest being Taylor Sheridan’s West Texas-set show, Landman. Larter plays Thornton’s ex-wife and provides a number of comic relief moments in this otherwise suspenseful drama series that immerses viewers in the oil industry, even getting us right up in the oil rig workers’ business as they suffer occasional catastrophes in this remarkably dangerous trade. Larter opened up to us about her love for Sheridan’s work leading up to Landman, which includes a number of acclaimed films and, of course, his vast small-screen work — such as Yellowstone and its spinoffs, including 1883 and 1923:
“I’m a huge fan of his. I think he’s an absolutely brilliant writer, from
Sicario
and
Wind River, Hell or High Water
, all the way through his, like, epic television shows […] I just love the women that he creates. He just finely crafts these women that are dynamic and fearless and vulnerable. There’s just so many levels to it. And he lets women be, like, unabashedly sexy and just own their sh*t […] You don’t see that much anymore. And I just loved getting a chance to work on one of his shows.”
From MTV Entertainment, Landman is now streaming on Paramount+, with episodes airing Sundays through Jan. 12, 2025. You can watch it through the link below:
Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast “Boomtown,” the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.
- Seasons
- 1
- Where To Watch
- Paramount+