Lily Gladstone is condemning Hollywood’s glorification of the American West in film and television, particularly the Kevin Costner-led series “Yellowstone.”
“Delusional! Deplorable!” Gladstone told Vulture of Taylor Sheridan’s Western drama.
“Yellowstone” and its spinoff series “1883” and “1923” follow different generations of the Dutton family and their cattle ranch in Montana. Creator Sheridan has defended “Yellowstone” multiple times in the past from critics who referred to the series as “anti-woke” or a “red-state show.”
While Gladstone does criticize the mythologized portrayal of the West in “Yellowstone,” the “Killers of the Flower Moon” star does not fault any of the Native American actors for appearing on the show, adding, “No offense to the Native talent in that. I auditioned several times. That’s what we had.”
Gladstone stars alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Set in the 1920s, the crime drama epic revolves around the killing spree of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, who reside on priceless oil fields.
Back in January, Gladstone told PvNew about how Scorsese worked closely with the real-life Osage Nation to ensure accurate representation of the community in his film.
“The work is better when you let the world inform the work,” Gladstone said. “That was very refreshing how involved the production got with the [Osage Nation] community. As the community warmed up to our presence, the more the community got involved with the film. It’s a different movie than the one [Scorsese] walked in to make almost entirely because of what the community had to say about how it was being made and what was being portrayed.”
“It’s not a white savior story,” Gladstone said of the film to Vulture. “It’s the Osage saying, ‘Do something. Here’s money. Come help us.’”
