Exclusive Interview: Bill Dawes Talks Lawman: Bass Reeves, Joining the Taylor Sheridan Universe, His Character Development Work, and More

Bill Dawes stands as a true Renaissance man in the entertainment industry, skillfully navigating the worlds of writing, acting, and producing. His credits include standout performances in projects such as Beautiful Violence, All My Children, Alaska Daily, and The Other Two.

In his latest series, Lawman: Bass Reeves, Bill steps into the Taylor Sheridan universe, delivering a transformative portrayal as Joshua. This untold story, brought to life by executive producers Taylor Sheridan (1883) and David Oyelowo (Selma), unveils the remarkable journey of the legendary lawman of the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawman: Bass Reeves follows Reeves (Oyelowo) as he rises from enslavement to become one of the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi. Despite apprehending over 3,000 outlaws during his career, the burden of the badge weighs heavily on him as he grapples with its moral and spiritual toll on his cherished family.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Bill about Lawman: Bass Reeves, delving into how he approached this character without judgment, his collaboration with Taylor Sheridan, and more.

PC: You are on Lawman: Bass Reeves, and I imagine this is such a challenging role to play given the nature of the character. One of your jobs as an actor is to approach characters like this without judgment. How were you able to do that so seamlessly? What about this particular script and playing Joshua excited you as a storyteller?
Bill: First of all, I’m a huge Taylor Sheridan fan so I would have jumped at the chance to play any character in his universe (the TSU?). Second of all, acting is like being a defense attorney. Even if you know your client is a murderer, your job is to represent him to the best of your ability. Most people don’t think they’re “bad” or “evil.” They believe that whatever they are doing is justified by their personal feelings of oppression or injustice or victimhood. I don’t even have to mention how relevant that is to current events in the world right now. People can believe they are 100% in the right and it’s usually history that says “Uh, actually you were way off.” Sorry Germany.

Joshua believed in the southern “Confederacy” and probably his state and community, so step one is putting yourself in the mindset of someone who grew up then and lived then. It’s really easy to say “I would never own slaves! Those guys were jerks!” But in the late 1800s, it was kinda the things humans were doing everywhere in the world. Joshua is a result of ignorance and maybe a little stupidity, but not mustache-twirling evil.

Once you have adopted your character’s point of view, you just act with that belief system. I think there’s a reason why so many actors love playing villains. The point of view is always clear, and that is infinitely actable.

PC: You’ve also written and produced in the past. How have your experiences behind the camera impacted the way that you approach your work on screen and interpret scripts like Lawman: Bass Reeves and characters like Joshua?
Bill: I think, since I’ve written and have been a quasi-producer, I understand that the most important part of my job as an actor is helping to tell the story that the creators—in this case, Chad Feehan and David Oyelowo—want to tell. It’s not about getting “screen time” or “stealing the show.” It’s about being a cog in the machine of the story and trying to be effortlessly woven into it. Sometimes, that just means showing up on time, knowing your lines, and saying them like you really mean them. That’s really the gig. It’s not more complicated than that.

PC: Your character brings some unexpected humor to the series where everything is so high stakes. How beneficial was it having your comedic background and experience in improv when tackling this role?
Bill: [laughs] Believe me, I could have been a lot funnier. I remember several moments where I thought, “Can I improv a little with Dennis Quaid, or will I get in trouble?” Ultimately, I think it’s always good to take a crack at something if you believe it is authentic to your character and the choice has integrity. More often than not, I chicken out, but the world belongs to those actors and artists who say, “Screw it, I’m going to try something weird here…”

PC: Barry Pepper’s character is like a mentor to Joshua. Who were the mentors in your own life who have shaped the storyteller that you are today?
Bill: I have three mentors in my life. One of them was my acting teacher at NYU grad school, Ron Van Lieu. My voice, speech, and singing teachers thought I was trash, but Ron always believed in me, and I think it kept me in school.

My second mentor was Jeff Weiss, a sort of legendary East Village theatre actor who recently passed. He showed me how it was possible to give 100% to someone onstage while simultaneously being open to receiving anything they give you. I’ve worked with multiple Oscar winners, but to this day, I’ve never experienced anything like acting in a small black box East Village theater with Jeff Weiss.

The third mentor is the owner of the Laugh Factory, Jamie Masada. I had just started stand-up, and he plucked me from the masses and took me under his wing. He’s still a mentor and friend. I would not be a stand-up comic today if it weren’t for him and his encouragement and, at times, tough love.

PC: There is such a star-studded ensemble and creative team behind Lawman: Bass Reeves, yourself included. What did you learn about your own craft working on this project?
Bill: I learned that I have a long way to go before I’m in the ranks of Dennis Quaid and David Oyelowo. They are masters at the top of their game. In particular, watching Dennis Quaid approach every scene with this childlike enthusiasm made me realize that pure unadulterated love of the craft can keep me forever young at heart like him. At least that’s the hope.

PC: You have a ton of projects in the works. Do you have any that you can talk about at this time?
Bill: I’m very excited about Operation Taco Gary’s, written and directed by my best friend and surrogate little brother, Michael Kvamme. I think he’s brilliant, and I’ve been there since he started at age twenty. Being a producer on his first feature film is the culmination of almost fifteen years of working together. The lead producer is also a good friend, Matthew Vaughan of Rotten Science. I have a couple of TV shows coming out I can’t quite mention yet, but I’m also super excited about bringing back Bob Robinson for Season 2 of Mo on Netflix. I feel incredibly lucky that I get to work with hyper-geniuses like Mo Amer and Ramy Youseff. And hey, I really hope Taylor Sheridan finds another spot for me down the road. Ultimately, I can’t believe I get to work with such nice and talented people. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

To keep up with Bill, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Lawman: Bass Reeves on Paramount+ today.