Michelle Randolph is about to show a whole new side of herself.
The 28-year-old broke through in Taylor Sheridan’s crowd-pleasing string of historic and neo-Western TV shows, playing brassy blondes roaming ranches and oil towns. In 1923, she starred as Kevin Costner’s feisty fiancée, who can handle everything from wolf bites to the Great Depression out on her Montana ranch. In Landman, which just wrapped its second season, Randolph tackles the present-day West as Ainsley, the Harley Davidson cutoff-wearing daughter of Demi Moore and Billy Bob Thornton, a corporate fixer for an oil baron in Texas. In short order, she’s become an avatar of young womanhood in the American West, both past and present: a straight-talking ingénue who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. It’s an alluring figure, one that helped propel Landman to become the most viewed series in the history of Paramount+.
In real life, Randolph relates to Ainsley for her vulnerability more than her rebelliousness. She’s already gone viral for a clip from Landman in which she has an, ahem, remarkably frank conversation about sex and intimacy with her father, but to her, it’s all part of the story of growing up. Of course, her own coming-of-age was a little less-than-typical: Her older sister Cassie competed on Season 23 of The Bachelor—and won—when Michelle was still in college.
Randolph’s own ascent has been swift, and she’s showing no sign of slowing her propulsion. Next, she’s trying her hand in an entirely new role as a horror starlet. She’ll appear alongside Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Isabel May in Scream 7, out Feb. 27. Jumping into a beloved franchise was daunting, even for someone who’s acted alongside stalwarts like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, but Randolph is eager to explore a new aspect of her craft onscreen. But, as someone who’s easily spooked, maybe she’ll leave the lights on during her next horror movie marathon—just in case.
You’ve worked with Taylor Sheridan on 1923 and now Landman. What does it mean to build a creative relationship with the same storyteller across different worlds? How does that shared history shape the risks you’re willing to take as an actor?
It really means a lot to me. I don’t take lightly that I’ve gotten to grow inside worlds created by the same storyteller. Both projects and experiences feel completely different, but after working with someone for over four years, you build a level of trust. I feel braver when I am less focused on proving myself. When I feel trusted, I am much more willing to take risks or be bold in moments that feel uncomfortable.
There’s a pivotal scene in Landman where your character, Ainsley, confronts her father about intimacy and her relationship with her boyfriend. Media depictions of teenage girls often flatten their emotional lives into tropes. How did you navigate portraying teenage desire and rebellion?
I really wanted to approach Ainsley without judgment. Teenage girls are often simplified, especially in a show that is told from a perspective that is not hers. She’s curious. She is sincere, and growing up, and figuring herself out in real time. She’s experiencing so many different situations and dynamics that are entirely new to her. There is a vulnerability that comes with that, that was really important to me to show on screen. She’s not trying to shock her dad, she’s trying to be seen as her own person. To me, rebellion is not a part of who she is right now.
Looking back, how would you describe yourself as a teenager or young adult? Do you recognize any echoes of that version of yourself in Ainsley?
I was very different from Ainsley as a teenager. Of course, I experienced the same intensity where everything felt momentous at that age. I was curious and excited, but Ainsley pushes me out of my comfort zone. I find myself grounding her. I was much more filtered and had a harder time saying exactly what was on my mind.
If acting hadn’t become your path, or if you could step away and study something purely out of curiosity, what would you have pursued, and why?
Something to do with cats. I love them. They love me.
You’ll soon appear in Scream 7, joining a franchise with one of the most dedicated fan bases in contemporary cinema. What initially drew you to this project, and what did it feel like stepping into such a culturally loaded universe?
It is so beloved. The movies are so fun. To join a franchise that means so much to people… I just hope everyone enjoys it. What an honor to work with [Scream 7 director] Kevin Williamson on it!
How did the transition from serialized television to a film franchise change your approach as an actor?
For me, they’re just different rhythms, not different levels of preparation. With television, especially something that runs multiple seasons, you’re deeply prepared from the start, but you also know you’ll have time to evolve. You grow with the character over years. You discover new layers over time.
With film, everything feels more concentrated. The arc is contained, so you have to arrive with a very clear point of view and trust your instincts. There’s an urgency to it. They’re just a different kind of creative pressure.
Are you a fan of horror? If so, what are your favorite horror stories?
I’ve actually seen a lot of the horror classics. I took a horror elective in college and had to write essays on films like The Exorcist and The Shining. I remember forcing my sister to watch them with me in the middle of the day so I wouldn’t be as scared.
One of my all-time favorite films is The Silence of the Lambs. Growing up, we used to have weekly movie nights where we’d exclusively watch horror: Final Destination, Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Blair Witch Project. Now I struggle not to have nightmares. I think I was braver when I was younger. Or maybe I just spend too much time alone in hotels now.
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