Tim McGraw landed his first starring movie role in Friday Night Lights in 2004, and he admits he was nervous about acting alongside established actors in the now-classic film.
In an interview with the Bobby Bones Show in 2023, McGraw shared the advice Billy Bob Thornton gave him, which he says has helped him ever since.
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“The best advice I ever got as an actor came from Billy Bob Thornton when we were doing Friday Night Lights, and I was scared to death because that was my first big movie,” McGraw related.
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“I asked him for any advice he’d give me and he says, ‘If you think you’re not doing enough, you’re probably still doing too much.'”
Friday Night Lights gave McGraw’s acting career a sizable launch, grossing $62 million against a $30 million budget and earning glowing reviews. It went on to inspire a television show that ran for five seasons.
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McGraw went to a very successful film career that includes starring roles in Flicka, The Blind Side, Country Strong, Tomorrowland, The Shack and more.
He later reunited with Thornton on television for 1883, a Yellowstone prequel that also starred his wife, Faith Hill.
He told Bones there’s one part of the acting process that he still finds nerve-wracking, all these years later.
“I mean, auditioning is tough,” McGraw shared.
“It’s the hardest thing in the world. The things that I’ve done that I think that I’ve done the best at are the things I didn’t have to audition for.”
McGraw also admitted that he still feels uncertain when he’s acting with top-level actors including Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Sam Elliott, Connie Britton and more.
“Every time it’s like, ‘Do you hate me?'” he said with a laugh.
“Like, when you don’t get anything back and they just walk off you’re like, ‘Did I suck? Did I just ruin that scene for him?’
“I’m pretty calm as long as I know my words. As long as I know the script then I feel pretty calm about it, but I have to say when you’re doing a scene with Sam Elliott and you have to stare him down and sort of have a confrontation with him, that gets a little nerve-wracking because he can stare you down pretty good.”
Top 10 Tim McGraw Songs That Make Him a Hall of Famer
Whether it’s party music or songs that stop you in your tracks, Tim McGraw’s catalog has songs for every mood and emotion.
Though the Louisiana native launched in 1990 with his self-titled debut record, it wasn’t until the release of his sophomore project four years later that McGraw got the adoration of both country professionals and fans alike.
Gallery Credit: Jeremy Chua
It’s Their Love! See the Cutest Photos of Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have one of the longest running relationships in Nashville. After tying the knot in 1996, the couple are fast-approaching their 30th wedding anniversary and, if these photos are any indication, their love has only grown over the years.
The country superstars have been constant supporters of each other’s music careers. McGraw and Hill also linked up for a duets album, The Rest of Our Life, and toured together on several versions of the Soul2Soul Tour.
The love shared between these two has spilled over into their daughters’ lives. The family of five appear to be very close and regularly gather for meals and family get-togethers. After raising their three daughters, McGraw and Hill are now enjoying life as empty-nesters.
Here are the cutest photos of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
