SINCE BREAKING OUT AS THE RESILIENT ELIZABETH STRAFFORD IN THE YELLOWSTONE PREQUEL 1923, MICHELLE RANDOLPH HAS BEEN GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PLAYING THE FREE-SPIRITED AND SHELTERED AINSLEY IN LANDMAN, PARAMOUNT+’S SMASH-HIT SERIES SET IN THE HIGH-STAKES WORLD OF THE WEST TEXAS OIL FIELDS. BEYOND THE NEPO BABY STATUS AND BUBBLY BLONDE GLOSS OF AINSLEY, AND HER NAIVE PERSPECTIVE, WHICH CLASHES WITH THE GRITTY WORLD AROUND HER, RANDOLPH’S BEEN DIGGING DEEP TO FIND THE CHARACTER’S DEPTH BEYOND THE SUPERFICIALITY. HERE, SHE TALKS ABOUT HER TRANSFORMATIVE ROLE IN THE SERIES, WHAT HER CHARACTER HAS TAUGHT HER SO FAR, AND HOW HER CO-STARS HAVE HELPED HER OVERCOME IMPOSTOR SYNDROME.
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Full look Guess
Let’s talk Landman! What’s it like to play a character like Ainsley? In theory, she’s quite unlikable, but you look for the humanity in her, and she's continually evolving. Has playing her challenged you in a lot of ways — and which of your own qualities have you brought to the role to make her more genuine, vulnerable and sincere?
On the page, she’s seemingly one-dimensional, but that wasn’t Taylor Sheridan’s [the show’s writer and creator] intention; he just needed someone to embody Ainsley fully and bring her to life. I worked with dialect, movement and acting coaches to make sure I wasn’t just playing another bratty teenage girl, as we’ve seen that type of character a million times on TV. So I wanted to show how genuine and earnest and sincere she is, to bring out her human side! I also admire those qualities in people; I don’t care who you are as long as you’re being your authentic self, just be you.
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Full look Prada
I’m curious if playing her has taught you anything about yourself, too, through the ways a character sits with you, particularly in a landscape and industry where being a woman is still incredibly difficult?
She’s had really limited life experience, and we can’t judge a girl or any character who is only 18 years old. She’s about to go to college, and hopefully, we’ll see her have some more agency and independence and start to figure out who she is. You also can’t judge someone who hasn’t even left the town where she lives. She’s in this delicate bubble protected by her mother. I have so much sympathy for her.
I learn something from every character I play and set that I work on, and specifically with Ainsley, she has made me a lot less unfiltered in my life. You can be unfiltered and still be lovable, and I’m naturally a very thoughtful person, and I do things with intention, and Ainsley has shown me that it’s ok to have fun in life and be happy, and then other times things might be a bit crazier. I always talk about the duality that exists in life, which goes back to the satire and comedy in this show, which runs with the drama and devastation; one person is having their best day while someone else is experiencing their worst, with their life falling apart around them.
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Full look Dior
You're working with Demi Moore and Billy Bob Thornton on this series, and you previously worked with Helen Mirren on 1923. Which of them have become kindred spirits, in that they took you under their wing and made you feel safe?
They have all been so welcoming to me, and I would say the main thing I’ve learned working with them is that they embolden you as an actor; they build your confidence without necessarily giving out advice. The last thing you want after doing so much prep for a role is to be told by your scene partner how to do things. Instead, they made me feel like I can learn for myself and grow…. but of course, after we finish shooting, just because of who they are, I’ve got like ten million questions for them about their work and projects they’ve done! [Laughs]
And now you're swapping oil fields for horror houses in Scream 7. It's such an iconic franchise. How does it feel to be part of it, especially as there are actors from previous movies returning for this one, too?
I want to say so much, but I can’t! I was so excited to step onto that set, and oddly, my excitement outweighed my nerves, which is so rare. But the fact that I got to work with Kevin Williamson is incredible, and it was such fun.
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Blazer, pants, belt and shoes Amiri, jewellery and watch Cartier
Do you have a favourite Scream movie and scene quote or set piece?
The first movie is so good, and the iconic knife in the kitchen moment with Drew Barrymore, you can’t think of that movie without thinking of her!
Now that you're entering your scream-queen era, I feel like this movie is ushering in a new chapter of your career. What would be the dream project?
I feel like I’ve done lots of niche projects recently, and anything that excites me or makes me a little scared is a good thing.
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Dress Zimmermann, jewellery Cartier
What about directors or actors you would love to work with?
I want to work with female directors like Greta Gerwig, and others like Joe Wright, and I would love to work with Octavia Spencer and Mark Ruffalo too; they are my screen icons. Also, Olivia Colman! I went to a Golden Globes event the other night to honour Dame Helen Mirren, and it’s one thing to be on a set with her and realise how special that was, but to be in the audience watching this amazing archive, like 50 years of her life on screen, it was incredible.
Well, that could be you in another 50 years, with an archive of the different lives you’ve lived on screen, swapping genres, maybe a musical movie in there?
If I’m lucky enough, how amazing would that be, and as for a musical, well…. if I could sing, I would! [Laughs] Nobody wants me to sing! I would love to be behind the scenes a little more, though, as I majored in film at college, and I have friends who are producers, so that intrigues me, as not every project I love I can get to be in.
Full looks Zadig&Voltaire
So, is that where you fell in love with acting, at college, or as a kid, watching movies at home?
Looking back, when I was younger, I had no idea that I wanted to do this, but I used to play make-believe with my siblings in the backyard at home, and I played with baby dolls too, until I was waaaaay too old. I don’t even want to tell you how old I was.
It was last week, wasn’t it…
Ha-ha! Yeah, only last week, but wait, have you seen that viral Instagram video of the doll woman who has all these dolls and plays with them like they’re fake babies? The New York Post just did an article on her. Well…. It’s me. Just kidding!
Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire
Right Full look Guess
I feel a film coming on….
Yes! Could you imagine?! But back to my childhood, I played a lot with Barbie, and when Photobooth came out on Mac, I would spend hours after school making fake infomercials and videos. I just love being in my own head, and that’s why I love this job, you get to take a break from who you are and invent this other person. As I got older and started modelling, I was so out of my comfort zone as it was so different, and I was quite shy and nervous as a child, but I got so used to being out of my comfort zone that I now live outside of my comfort zone. I love feeling the adrenaline and nerves getting on the set, it’s the best and worst feeling in the world, and I need that to feel challenged – not just in work, but in life.
…
Discover the full story in our SS26 Issue
Interview by Kate Lawson
Photography by Shane McCauley
Fashion by Oretta Corbelli
EIC Michael Marson
Casting by Imagemachine cs
Hair by Mark Mena
Make-Up by Diane Buzzetta
Stylist’s assistant Allegra Gargiulo
