Becoming More Sophisticated

Oscar-winner Billy Bob Thornton (left) has become the latest Hollywood star to argue that television now provides a more creative environment for actors to work in than film.

Speaking ahead of his appearance in the forthcoming small-screen remake of the Coen brothers' classic 1996 neo-noir Fargo, Thornton said those in search of sophisticated scripts were increasingly turning to TV. He said cinema was now about churning out action movies, broad comedies and "movies where apparently vampires are all models."

"The entertainment business can pretend all they want, but the movie world has changed drastically, particularly in the last five or six years," said Thornton, who won the best adapted screenplay Oscar for his 1996 film Sling Blade. "If you want to be an actor, get on a really good series in television because there's where it's at."

In comments at a Television Critics Association meeting, Thornton cited recent TV appearances by figures such as Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid and Kevin Bacon.

Fargo also stars The Hobbit's Martin Freeman, Breaking Bad's Bob Odenkirk, Colin Hanks and Oliver Platt. Developed with the support of Joel and Ethan Coen, it is due to debut in April on US TV channel FX.

Thornton's fellow Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh announced his big-screen retirement last year. The director of Traffic, Magic Mike and the Ocean's Eleven series has accused Hollywood of treating directors in an "absolutely horrible" fashion over the past two decades.

Hollywood legend David Lynch recently railed against the "depressing" landscape of modern cinema, amid suggestions he will never make another film.