Although much of the most popular and highest-charting country music of the last decade or so has come from artists such as Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, there are a lot of outstanding and forward-thinking musicians that have made their mark on the genre as well in that same time. One such artist is Kentucky’sSturgill Simpson, whose influence on the modern country music landscape has continued to grow with each passing year.
After beginning his solo career in the early 2010s, Simpson released some of the most acclaimed country albums of the decade, such as 2013’sHigh Top Mountainand 2014’sMetamodern Sounds in Country Music. Since then, his career has continued to expand, but it hasn’t been confined exclusively to music.
Over the last five years or so, Simpson has begun to develop a career as an actor in film and television. He first debuted as an actor in 2011’sOrca Park, directed by Warren Lewis Allen and Willie Stewart, but it wasn’t until 2018 that Simpson began regularly showcasing his acting chops. Though his career on-screen is not too extensive at this point, he has appeared in a number of high-profile films and shows.
He has stated that he doesn’t consider himself to be an actor, but rather explores acting as an avenue of being “a creative person seeking expression, wherever that may come from.” The most recent film he was featured in has become a solid contender for many of this year’s top awards. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of seven films and shows that have featured Simpson in a notable role.
7Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
First on this list is the elephant in the room. Martin Scorsese’sKillers of the Flower Moonwas just released a few months ago, and it has already begun to make waves on the awards circuit. The film is based on the true tragedy of the Osage Nation in the 1920s, in which political corruption and greed motivated the murder of over 60 Osage people over a number of years. Lily Gladstone, specifically, has been receiving immense praise for her performance in the lead role of Mollie Kyle, for which she hasalready won a Golden Globeand is considered the frontrunner to win the Oscar.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese’s Latest Features More Than One Country Musician
Simpson plays a supporting role inKillers of the Flower Moon, as he portrays Henry Grammer, a bootlegger and criminal who played a significant role in numerous Osage murders. He appears frequently throughout the film, often sharing scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart. However, Simpson is not the only famous country musician to play a significant role inKillers of the Flower Moon. The role of Bill Smith is also played by Jason Isbell, which also marked the first occasion in which Isbell had appeared in a major film.
Stream on Apple TV+ on Jan. 12
6The Creator (2023)
Just a few months prior toKillers of the Flower Moon, Simpson also appeared inThe Creator, the latest sci-fi epic from director Gareth Edwards. The film is set in a near future in which the United States has declared war on the creation of artificial intelligence and robots (called simulants), which have found a safe haven in East Asia. Though it was not a massive box office success,The Creatordid receive a lot of attention for its willingness to tell an original story on a grand scale and the incredible quality of its special effects, both of which were made even more impressive by the film’s budget of less than $100 million – which is almost unheard of for a major blockbuster these days.
The Creator
The Newest Sci-Fi Epic from Gareth Edwards
InThe Creator, Simpson plays the role of Drew, who is ex-military and a good friend of the film’s lead, Joshua Taylor, played by John David Washington. Simpson’s character is a man whose perspective shifted after the experience of war. Though he once fought for the US against the A.I., he’s shown some years later having moved to East Asia and made a new life for himself, which included a romantic relationship with a simulant. Though his role is not a lead, Simpson’s character adds a lot of heart and depth to the story ofThe Creator, and in the part, he brings a lot of dramatic weight to the movie.
Stream on Hulu
Related:The Creator: The Deeper Meaning Behind the Sci-Fi Movie, Explained
5The Righteous Gemstones – Season 3 (2023)
Moving into the realm of television,The Righteous Gemstonesis a comedy-crime series on HBO that stars Danny McBride, John Goodman, Adam DeVine and Edi Patterson. The show focuses on a televangelist family who have made their living misleading and abusing the trust of mass audiences for their own financial gain. It has continued to build its audience over the last few years, with steady positive reviews with each new season. The series first debuted in 2019, and it has continued through three seasons witha fourth already green-lit by HBO.
The Righteous Gemstones
Sturgill Simpson Joins the Third Season of HBO’s Hit Show
Simpson joinedThe Righteous Gemstonesin its third season, which just aired this past summer. In the show, he plays an extremist character who is a part of a doomsday militia prepping for a fight that may or may not ever come. He only appears in three episodes of the season – episodes two, seven and eight – but he makes a solid impression with every appearance. He also contributed his musical talents to the series, as he sang a cover of the song “All the Gold in California” under the name Brother Marshall and the Choir of Fire.
Stream on Max
4The Hunt (2020)
In 2020, Simpson continued to expand his film career with a role in the horror satireThe Hunt, directed by Craig Zobel. The film was a Blumhouse production, and it was co-written byLost’s Damon Lindeloff. The movie’s story focused on a group of working-class people who are kidnapped and then hunted for sport by a handful of rich elites from the ruling class. It was a satirical take on American two-party politics, with clear inspiration from Richard Connell’sThe Most Dangerous Game.
Damon Lindeloff’s Controversial Political Satire
Simpson plays one of the captives in the film, given the name “Vanilla Nice.” While his character lives a lot longer than a majority of the captives, he is ultimately caught and killed at a gas station convenience store. The film itself becamethe center of a lot of controversy, as many objected to its violent and provocative approach to American politics. It was originally set for release in the Fall of 2019, but it was delayed following tragic mass shootings in both Dayton and El Paso. Eventually, it was released in March 2020, where it was then immediately overshadowed and buried by the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Rent on Apple TV
3Queen & Slim (2019)
A year earlier, Simpson appeared in a significant role in the filmQueen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas. The film was a drama about two young Black Americans who are forced to go on the run after an incident of police brutality during a traffic stop results in the death of the cop. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, and it was a critical darling at the time of release. It also sparked a lot of discussion on social media, as the film’s reinvention of theBonnie & Clyde-style story with modern social commentary divided a lot of viewers.
Queen & Slim
Sturgill Simpson is Joined by Flea in Queen & Slim
The cast ofQueen & Slimfeatures more than one famous musician. In addition to Simpson, Flea of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s fame also appears in the film as a character named Johnny Shepherd, who is a helpful hand along the journey of the lead characters. As for Simpson, he plays the police officer whose aggression is the catalyst for the film’s whole story. With that, Simpson isn’t in the film very much, though he does play a crucial role.
Stream on Tubi
Related:Best Movies Directed by Black Women
Earlier in 2019, Simpson appeared in his first feature film since 2011, as he appeared briefly in Jim Jarmusch’sThe Dead Don’t Die. The horror-comedy starred Adam Driver, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, and it was centered on a small town’s police force that finds themselves face-to-face with a zombie apocalypse. The film itself is anhomage to many different classic horror movies, though it failed to really connect with audiences on a wide scale. Although there was some anticipation for the newest Jarmusch comedy, the film ultimately was met with mixed reviews from both critics and audiences, which has resulted in it being a forgotten horror-comedy gem.
Jim Jarmusch’s Zombie Flick Featured a Ton of Musicians
The Dead Don’t Diewas full of all sorts of celebrity cameos, particularly of famous musicians. As for Simpson, he played a zombie which specifically wielded a guitar. At another point, Sturgill’s music is specifically highlighted as a CD of his is found, played in a car, and subsequently thrown out. Simpson’s on-screen involvement was just a cameo, but he also contributed behind-the-scenes by writing the film’s theme song, “The Dead Don’t Die.” Looking beyond Simpson, the advertising for the film specifically highlighted the involvement of Iggy Pop, who played one of the many zombies in the film. Additionally, musicians such as Selena Gomez, RZA, Tom Waits and Eszter Balint appear in the film as well.
1One Dollar - Season One (2018)
Finally, the last project that we wanted to include on this list is the seriesOne Dollar,which ran for one season on the streaming series CBS All Access, which has since rebranded into Paramount+. The series was a thriller that explored a series of murders that occurred in a small American town. It showcased numerous different perspectives throughout the season, which broadened the scope and depth of the story it told. The series was canceled after just one season, though its director, Craig Zobel, has gone on to other notable shows such asThe Mare of Easttownand the upcomingBatmanspin-off,The Penguin.
Sturgill Simpson Gets His First Major Acting Role
After he made his acting debut inOrca Parkin the early 2010s, Simpson took a lot of time to focus on his musical career following the success of his solo albums, particularlyMetamodern Sounds in Country Music. However, he returned in a short film titledBlack Hog Gutin 2018, as well asOne Dollar, which was the first major studio production he’d been a part of. ThoughOne Dollarwould not continue past its first season, Simpson would work with Zobel again, as the director also went on to directThe Hunta few years later.
Stream on Paramount+
