IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMES LANDRY HÉBERT

interview by JANA LETONJA

James Landry Hébert continues to build one of the most quietly impressive careers in television and film, bringing depth, intensity, and authenticity to every role he takes on. With credits spanning acclaimed projects like 1883, Stranger Things, The Righteous Gemstones, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, he has established himself as a versatile character actor capable of moving seamlessly between gritty drama, prestige television, and large-scale cinematic worlds. Now joining the new season of Euphoria while also appearing in the upcoming Snowfall spin-off, James enters another exciting chapter of his career, continuing to connect with audiences through both his compelling performances and his unconventional, deeply personal journey into the entertainment industry.

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Joining Euphoria is a huge moment. What initially drew you to the project?

At first, it was the opportunity to step into a world that already had such a strong identity. Euphoria is one of those shows where you feel the point of view immediately - visually, emotionally, musically. It doesn’t feel like anything else.

I also knew that if Sam Levinson was bringing me into that world, there was probably a reason. The role started to evolve in a way that felt very personal to what I can bring - the riding, the roping, the outlaw energy, the Western edge - but placed inside this completely unexpected, neon, modern universe. That combination really excited me.

How would you sum up your experience and your character on the show?

I play Harley, who is Laurie’s cousin. He’s a modern-day outlaw - anti-government, dangerous, deeply flawed, and running drugs off the family farm with his son, Wayne. Rue gets pulled into that world because of her debt to Laurie, and that creates a power struggle that spirals.

Harley’s not chasing euphoria in the form of drugs. His drug is infamy. He wants to be feared, respected, remembered. That hunger comes from insecurity and powerlessness, and it makes him dangerous. I don’t agree with Harley’s beliefs, obviously, but my job was to find the human being underneath the ugly parts - the fear, the family loyalty, the need to matter.

Euphoria is known for its emotional intensity and visual style. What was it like stepping into that environment as an actor?

It was wild in the best way. Every department is telling the story on Euphoria - camera, lighting, makeup, hair, costume, music, production design. You feel the world before you even say a line.

As an actor, it keeps you awake. You can’t just show up and do the scene you rehearsed in your head. Sam is constantly discovering things in the moment, rewriting, pushing, giving you permission to go further. It’s intense, but it’s also freeing. You feel like anything can happen, as long as it comes from truth.

What do you think makes Euphoria resonate so strongly with audiences worldwide?

I think it resonates because it’s honest about how powerful desire can be. Every character is chasing something - love, escape, control, attention, drugs, validation, power. Sometimes that thing becomes more important than what’s actually good for them.

That’s universal. You don’t have to live in Rue’s world or Harley’s world to understand chasing the wrong thing and calling it happiness. I think Euphoria is beautiful because it doesn’t judge its characters from a distance. It gets close enough to show the humanity, even when people are making terrible choices.

Your career spans everything from westerns to psychological drama. How do you approach choosing roles?

I’m drawn to characters with contradictions. I like people who are hard to pin down, men who may be dangerous, but also wounded. Men who are wrong, but don’t know they’re wrong. Men who are trying to protect something and destroying it at the same time.

That said, I don’t want to be boxed in. I’ve played a lot of intense or rough characters, but I also loved getting to do comedy on The Righteous Gemstones. Even roles like Stranger Things or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood can come off funny because the characters are so serious about their own stakes. I love that tension, playing it dead serious and letting the audience find the humor.

1883 had such grounded emotional realism. What did that project teach you as a performer?

1883 taught me a lot about restraint and truth. That world was so physical and unforgiving. The land, the horses, the weather, it all keeps you honest. You can’t fake your way through that kind of work.

It also reminded me how powerful simplicity can be. Sometimes, the most emotional thing is not the big speech. It’s the way someone sits on a horse, or looks across a campfire, or carries grief without talking about it. That show deepened my love for Western storytelling because it was about survival, sacrifice, and the cost of becoming something new.

What was it like working within the worlds of Stranger Things and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, two projects with such passionate fanbases?

Both were surreal in different ways. Stranger Things had this incredible fan energy around it, and my character Axel ended up living in people’s minds in a way I never could’ve predicted. There was humor in that character, even though he took himself very seriously, and I think fans respond to that.

With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, getting to be in Quentin Tarantino’s world and share space with Brad Pitt was one of those moments you never forget. Quentin builds such a specific universe. Every detail matters. You feel like you’ve stepped into cinema history, but you still have to show up and do your job. Those experiences taught me to respect the scale of the room without shrinking in it.

Many people connect with your personal journey into acting. Looking back, what were the defining moments that pushed you toward this career?

Every project feels like “the one” when you’re in it. You put everything into it, and in that moment, it feels like it could change your life. But the reality is, they’re all stepping stones. Each one teaches you something, gives you more confidence, more scar tissue, and hopefully gets you closer to the next big thing.

Gangster Squad was a big one for me. I still feel like some of my best work is in that movie, and it was one of those early major studio experiences that made me feel like, “Okay, I can live in these rooms.” Looking back now, I feel like Gangster Squad, Stranger Things, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 1883, Horizon, The Righteous Gemstones, and now Euphoria have all been building a foundation.

It hasn’t always been flashy, but it’s been sturdy. I feel like I’ve been quietly building the kind of career that can last, and now it finally feels like it’s starting to add up.

How have your life experiences outside Hollywood influenced the way you approach characters?

They’ve influenced everything. Growing up around different cultures, being the outsider at times, working with horses, living close to the land, all of that shapes how I see people. It gives you a sense of behavior, survival, pride, shame, and loyalty.

With Euphoria, those real-life pieces actually became part of the role. I live close enough to set that I rode my horse there one day, and once Sam realized I could really ride and rope, that started finding its way into Harley. That’s the dream as an actor, when the life you’ve lived becomes useful to the story in a way no one else could fake.

It also helps me approach difficult characters with more compassion. I’ve been trusted to play men with ugly beliefs, including racist or anti-Native characters, and I think part of that trust comes from people knowing that’s not who I am. I grew up with Native people. I know what it feels like to be outside the majority in a room. So when I play someone full of hate, I’m not trying to excuse him. I’m trying to expose where that poison comes from - fear, ignorance, insecurity, powerlessness.

How do you stay grounded while working on such high-profile productions?

Horses help. The ranch helps. Animals don’t care what show you’re on. You still have to feed them, clean up after them, and show up for them. That keeps things in perspective pretty quickly.

I also try to stay focused on the work, not the noise around it. Big sets can be exciting, but at the end of the day, it’s still about telling the truth in the scene. If you come in prepared, stay useful, and treat people well, you can belong in rooms with big talent without getting swallowed by the size of it.

What excites you most about joining the Snowfall spin-off universe?

What excites me is that the world doesn’t really deal in clean heroes and villains. Everybody thinks they’re protecting something - their neighbourhood, their people, their future - and then all those intentions collide with power, money, politics, music, survival.

I can’t say too much, but I love stories where people are trying to do what they think is right inside a machine that’s bigger than them. That’s what draws me in. It’s not just crime for the sake of crime. It’s about pressure, identity, and what happens when the bill comes due.

What kind of stories or characters are you most interested in exploring moving forward?

I still love Westerns, crime, frontier stories, morally messy families, worlds with danger and consequence. But I’m also very interested in stretching into more comedy and heart. I don’t want to only play the guy with a gun and a grudge, even though I’m grateful people trust me with complicated men.

My dream role would be Willie Nelson. There’s music, humour, heartbreak, rebellion, spirituality, Texas, poetry, everything. That would scare me in the best way.

Next up, I have a chance to step into an Ang Lee world, Gold Mountain, which is surreal, so I feel like everything is really starting to add up in a meaningful way.

More than anything, I want to work with filmmakers who build worlds and actors who make me better. The right next chapter has scale, soul, danger, and maybe a little more room to smile before everything falls apart.

TEAM CREDITS:

photographer JOHNNY LAVALLEE
grooming VIVIAN MAXWELL
styling ANANDA ROSE
pr TFG PR