Juliette Lewis’ portrayal of Cut Throat Bill in Elliott Lester’s The Thicket adds another layer of diversity to her resume. The actress’ intense husky voice lends credence to her convincing performance as the ruthless gang leader, elevating the overall appeal of the Western crime thriller adapted from Joe R. Lansdale’s 2013 eponymous novel. The film highlights the depth of Lewis’ versatility, reaffirming her status as one of the most talented performers in Hollywood.
The Thicket stars the American actress alongside Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage, Esme Creed-Miles, Levon Hawke, and Gbenga Akinnagbe. Set in 20th-century East Texas, it tells the story of a young lad who engaged an unassuming bounty hunter to rescue his sister from a notorious criminal with a dreadful reputation for vicious violence. Here’s what to know about the Cut Throat Bill actor.
Juliette Lewis Is The Daughter Of Renowned Character Actor Geoffrey Lewis
The Californian’s passion for acting comes from her father Geoffrey Lewis. She’s one of the many children born to the character actor who died in April 2015. During his career, Geoffrey Lewis starred in several films opposite Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford, forging a reputation for playing eccentric and villainous characters. Juliette Lewis alluded to that while discussing her role in The Thicket with US Weekly. She told the publication Geoffrey would have been proud of her work in the Western thriller.
“I was just thinking about him today,” she said as she reminisced about her father at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles. “He would have loved it; he would be really proud, and we would have more to talk about,” added the actress. Geoffrey introduced Juliette Lewis to acting when she was a child. The Cut Throat Bill actor was only eight when she debuted alongside her father in Clint Eastwood’s Bronco Billy.
Horror Icon Karen Black Was Her Mentor
Karen Black also influenced Juliette Lewis’ devotion to performing arts. The late American actress and singer was a friend to Lewis’ parents. After her parents’ divorce, The Thicket actress sued for legal emancipation so she could bypass the child labor laws prohibiting her from working as an actress as much as she wanted. Lewis was barely 14 when she left home and moved in with Black, whom she’s often acknowledged as her mentor.
When the horror icon passed in August 2013, Juliette Lewis paid tribute to her on X. Her post, in part, reads: “Karen Black was my mentor and a 2nd mother to me. She inspired everyone she came in contact with…” A decade later, Lewis told the LA Times that Black helped her realize she was well-suited for acting. “She was so instrumental in my becoming aware that I have a creative spark,” she said. “It originated from these epic charades games we would play at her house with her kid and friend.”
Juliette Lewis Played Her First Major Role At Age 14
Although she first appeared onscreen at age 8 alongside her father in Bronco Billy, it was an uncredited role. Juliette Lewis’ proper acting debut came years later as Mary Ash in Showtime’s miniseries Home Fries. This was in 1987, the same year she began playing Kate Farrell in ABC’s sitcom I Married Dora. The role was her first glimpse of success in the profession. It earned her a Best Actress nomination from the Young Artist Awards.
Before the decade ran out, Juliette Lewis popularized her name with roles in other shows like The Facts of Life and The Wonder Years. She was also seen in several movies, including Richard Benjamin’s My Stepmother Is an Alien and Jeremiah S. Chechik’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. In between those, she played Cindy Hollowhead in Meet the Hollowheads and Amy Curtis in Max Tash’s The Runnin’ Kind. All of which prepped her for bigger roles in the 90s.
Her Breakthrough Came In The 90s With Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear
Juliette Lewis began the 90s starring in Arnold Margolin’s sitcom A Family for Joe and alongside Brad Pitt in Robert Markowitz’s crime drama Too Young to Die? She regards the latter as the first work that earned her widespread recognition. “Too Young to Die got a lot of reaction. It was the first time I was allowed to create without people saying, ‘Don’t fiddle with your hands,'” the actress told Interview Magazine in 2012. “But it was still TV, and therefore there was not nearly as big a reaction as with Cape Fear,” noted Lewis.
The actress achieved stardom as Danielle Bowden in the psychological crime thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. Her performance earned nominations for Best Supporting Actress from the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe. Since then, The Thicket actress has consolidated her legacy with diverse small and big screen roles. Some of her outstanding performances are in The Evening Star, From Dusk Till Dawn, My Louisiana Sky, and Hysterical Blindness. Juliette Lewis has sustained her relevance in recent years with roles in Welcome to Chippendales and Yellowjackets, among others. Check out Freddie Highmore’s best movies and TV shows.
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