From Spring Issue 61
Glass talks to US actor Michelle Randolph about starting out as a model then landing her breakout roles in the Taylor Sheridan universe in which she plays women of very different backgrounds
Surprising Taylor Sheridan fans by portraying the romantic yet fierce Elizabeth Strafford in 1923 and Landman’s rebellious 17-year-old, Ainsley Norris, Michelle Randolph proves she has range – and that this is just the beginning.
Season 2 of 1923 is out now and, from spending two weeks at “cowboy camp” to working alongside acting legends like Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, Randolph is making a name for herself as an actress with a talent for playing dynamic female characters. With 12 hours to audition and prove she was cut for Landman’s tumultuous setting and Ainsley’s defiant character, the 27-year-old actress has become a recognisable favourite in both Sheridan’s hit series.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
Before your acting career began, you started as a model at just 18 years old. What was it like to come out of your comfort zone and step into the world of TV?
It was definitely a shift. Modelling helped me get through college and pretty early on I transitioned into acting. I’ve always been drawn to film, but I never considered it something I could turn into a full career. Since no one around me was in the industry, it felt like a completely foreign concept.
I think everyone feels a bit out of their comfort zone when working, and that’s half the fun of it. So much goes into a role and a project, and there’s an incredible amount of collaboration from beginning to end. I care deeply about the projects I work on and with that comes a level of unpredictability – but that’s also what makes it exciting.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
In your very first role, you played opposite Darren Mann in House of the Witch and then five years later as a couple in 1923. How does it feel to come full circle and reflect on the growth in between?
It’s wild! I couldn’t have been happier when I found out I’d be working with Darren again. There’s something really special about working with someone you already have a foundation with – there’s an immediate sense of comfort, especially when stepping onto a new set. It’s also been a great reminder of how much we’ve both grown, both as actors and as people.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
You went to Taylor Sheridan’s famously required “cowboy camp” to prepare for 1923. How would you summarise your experience?
Humbling. You think you know how to ride a horse and then cowboy camp makes sure you know you don’t. But honestly, I loved every second of it. As a cast, we really bonded over those first few weeks and had so much fun. By the second week, we were barrel racing, practising roping and even doing timed competitions. I felt like I was at an adult summer camp.
1923’s first season was an explosion of legal and romantic intensity. How will the just launched Season 2 compare?
Oh, we are not slowing down. If anything, the stakes are even higher. Every relationship, every choice – it all carries more weight. And Elizabeth is really stepping into her own this season. She’s not just reacting to what’s happening around her anymore, she’s fighting.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
You’ve become a recognisable face for Taylor Sheridan productions, playing Elizabeth Strafford in 1923 and Ainsley Norris in Landman. How did you find unique connection points when playing both characters just a couple of months apart?
They’re both strong in their own ways but their worlds shaped them so differently. With Elizabeth, her strength comes from love, holding onto the life she wants, no matter how hard it gets. Ainsley, on the other hand, is fighting just to understand the world she’s in. I approached them from completely different headspaces, which made it so fulfilling.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
What drew you to a character like Landman’s Ainsley Norris, who comes with such a complex coming-of-age storyline?
When I first heard about Landman, I immediately wanted to be part of the project. I wanted nothing more than to work with Taylor Sheridan again and to have scenes with Billy Bob Thornton. Reading the first few scripts, I couldn’t help but be drawn to Ainsley. She’s free-spirited, wild and unapologetically herself. She says exactly what’s on her mind and I knew I could have a lot of fun with that. It wasn’t any less challenging, but that made it all the more fulfilling.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
Despite your difference in age, do you find any similarities between yourself and Ainsley?
For my process, with any role, I think it’s important to find aspects of the character I can relate to and bring parts of myself – even the buried ones – into the performance. As a 17-year-old, I was so different from Ainsley in many ways. I tend to be more of an overthinker rather than saying the first thing that comes to my mind. But I found it so refreshing to live in that mindset throughout filming.
I also worked very closely with my dialect coach, Jessica Drake. It was one of my favourite parts of developing the role. The accent was crucial for helping me separate myself from the character; it added an immediate layer to Ainsley. I found pieces of her coquettish personality in it – the Texas wild child charm. Going on set each day with that accent made it easier to slip into her unique way of moving through life. As soon as the accent was on, so was Ainsley.
Photographer: Ssam Kim
You’ve said you’re a big sufferer of imposter syndrome – do you feel you’ve improved your confidence since being a part of two star-studded acting families?
I don’t think imposter syndrome ever fully leaves you, but what has changed is how I handle it. Instead of letting it paralyse me, I use it – because it means I care. And if I care, I’ll go above and beyond. I’ve also been lucky to be surrounded by people who lead with confidence. It’s contagious.
You’re conquering the dramatic, modern-day coming-of-age story and the resilient, passionate love of a Western. What does the future hold, not for Elizabeth or Ainsley, but for yourself?
I have so many stories I want to tell. There’s so much I’m excited about in the coming year. I can’t wait for people to see Season 2 of 1923 – it’s such a beautiful story, and I’m confident it was worth the wait. Of course, I’m also hopeful for Season 2 of Landman.
by Madeleine Ringer
Photographer: Ssam Kim
Stylist: Laura Sophie Cox
Art Director: Evan Woods
Hair: Marc Mena
Make Up: Jennifer Tioseco
Location: The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills
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