Ron Livingston Achieves a Career Milestone With 'Loudermilk' Season 2 (2024)

By

Stacy Lambe

Ron Livingston has been working in Hollywood for 25 years, first appearing in Dolly Parton’s Straight Talk in 1992 before going on to star in the 1999 cult classic Office Space. Since then, he’s made memorable appearances on multiple HBO series -- Sex and the City, Boardwalk Empire and Band of Brothers -- and in the films Adaptation., The Conjuring and Drinking Buddies. With a steady stream of work, Livingston is one of those actors who often has a bunch of unrelated projects coming out in the same year, like in 2013, when he appeared in four theatrical releases and recurred on Boardwalk Empire.

The same is true for 2018, thanks to supporting film roles in Tully, The Long Dumb Road and Johnny Depp’s upcoming Richard Says Goodbye. He’s also the face of fall TV, with appearances on ABC’s A Million Little Things and Amazon’s The Romanoffs, as well as the return of his Audience Network series Loudermilk.

Now 51, the actor is no stranger to talking with the press and promoting his latest projects, even such varied ones as the ABC ensemble drama, Matt Weiner’s anthology series and the recovery comedy, all premiering within weeks from each other. “It doesn’t really affect me that much when they come out at the same time, other than I’m busy trying to get out there and promote them,” Livingston says while sitting in a booth tucked in the back of Rock Center Cafe. In the winter, the cafe overlooks Rockefeller Center’s ice-skating rink in Midtown Manhattan, but it’s a brisk, late-September day, still too warm and too early for the popular tourist attraction. Focused and attentive, Livingston’s ready to discuss all three.

On A Million Little Things, ABC’s emotional answer to This Is Us, Livingston’s character Jonathan Dixon sets things in motion by unexpectedly killing himself in the premiere. The role, while billed as series regular, will mostly be seen in brief flashbacks throughout the first season as Jonathan’s friends cope with his death. That said, he teases that “it’s not predictable when I show up.” Meanwhile, the actor’s episode of The Romanoffs, “Bright and High Circle,” is set to premiere on Nov. 2. Co-starring Andrew Rannells, Cara Buono and Diane Lane, the fifth chapter of the series tells the story of a tight-knit community’s loyalties being tested by a close friend.

Though Livingston visited the Mad Men set when his then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosemarie DeWitt worked on the series, he only briefly met series creator Weiner. But working with the notoriously demanding writer-director was no sweat for the actor, who says, “If you can make me look good, I’ll put up with anything. And with Matt, I didn’t even really have to put up with a lot.”

While the debuts of A Million Little Things and The Romanoffs has been met with more fanfare in the press, it’s Loudermilk, which is returning for a second season to AT&T Audience Network on Oct. 16, that deserves the most attention. On the acclaimed series co-created by Peter Farrelly, Livingston plays Sam Loudermilk, a cranky recovering alcoholic who finds himself forced to do some soul searching. Season two see hims putting his life back together after a recent relapse. “It’s really about trying to figure out what parts he wants to put back together again,” Livingston says, describing his character as more humble, “which doesn’t make him any less of an asshole.”

After decades of recurring roles or short-lived series regular parts, Loudermilk also marks Livingston’s first time making it to a second season. While his last two attempts at series work were the back-to-back network shows Standoff and Defying Gravity -- both of which were canceled after less than a season -- he says “some of that was by design.”

“I’m happy doing stuff where you come in for something very focused. You’re there to play a role; you get in and get out,” Livingston says of his past recurring work, adding that when it comes to Loudermilk, “I can do Sam forever. I can do Sam as long as the guys can write it.”

Admittedly, it’s easier to commit to a show that has 10-episode seasons rather than the typical 22 of a network television series. “I’ve grown out of that,” says the actor, a father of two adopted children who are 5 and 2 years old. “The days of, like, ‘Let’s go do an action series where I’m a cop running around doing stunts’ [are over]. That was always a weird fit anyway, trying to do that,” he says, referring to the police procedural Standoff, on which he met DeWitt. “That’s a young man’s game.”

Thirty-one when Office Space was first released in theaters, Livingston has put some distance between himself and his breakout role. However, there’s no escaping the fandom that continues to follow the cult film as new generations of fans have found it, first on DVD and then on streaming platforms.

“It’s so great,” Livingston says of Office Space’s lasting impact, while adding a caveat ahead of its 20th anniversary: “I love talking about the film, but one thing about talking about it for 20 years is it’s harder and harder to think of something new to say about it.”

As for another project that he hopes gets a second life someday, he mentions the little-seen 2016 film Shangri-La Suite, in which two young lovers attempt to kill Elvis Presley, played by Livingston. “It’s got this campy, B-movie feel to it. I thought the whole thing turned out great,” he says. “It went nowhere; it went straight to nothing. So I think it’d be fun if we resurfaced that.” (It turns out the film is streaming on the Roku Channel and Vudu.)

In the meantime, he’s busy promoting the three shows he’s on now, hoping audiences will find them as they did with Office Space. “There is a pinch-me moment that comes with getting to do these three very different projects with a lot of great people,” Livingston concludes. “If there’s anything that I’ve been trying for my whole career, it’s been to just be in great stuff.”

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Ron Livingston Achieves a Career Milestone With 'Loudermilk' Season 2 (2024)

FAQs

Ron Livingston Achieves a Career Milestone With 'Loudermilk' Season 2? ›

After decades of recurring roles or short-lived series regular parts, Loudermilk also marks Livingston's first time making it to a second season.

What happened to Loudermilk season 4? ›

Summary. Farrelly had big plans for Loudermilk season 4 before its cancellation, envisioning a storyline where Sam Loudermilk deals with newfound fame. Despite the show's rise in popularity on Netflix, there is no guarantee of a season 4, as it still lacks a production sponsor.

Are Loudermilk episode titles song titles? ›

(2021). Episode titles are song names.

Who plays the record store owner in Loudermilk? ›

Benjamin Rogers as Felix Furbush: Felix Furbush, the proprietor of Loudermilk's local record store/coffee shop, Sounds & Grounds, is played by Benjamin Rogers. (The actor's real name is what Felix uses as his stage name in the show.)

What is the story of Loudermilk? ›

Parents need to know that Loudermilk is a comedy about a recovering alcoholic, Sam Loudermilk, who works as a substance abuse counselor. Despite sometimes helping the people he works with, Sam's defining characteristics are being uncaring, sarcastic, and self-centered. In the first episode he reveals that his…

Why did Cutter leave Loudermilk? ›

Cutter, a beloved character from Season 1, abruptly departed the show due to the actor's real-life battle with substance abuse. There are hopes and plans for Cutter to return in Loudermilk Season 4, potentially focusing on his return and subsequent sobriety.

Does Loudermilk date Allison? ›

Laura Mennell as the "straight "neighbour Allison who Loudermilk sets his romantic interest on chaotically in the beginning but eventually thaws out her resistance is a welcome character among the misfits .

Is Lizzie Poole on Loudermilk a real singer? ›

In season 3 of the TV show Loudermilk that was released in 2020, she played a fictional character called Lizzie Poole who used to be a singer-songwriter in a band called Pool, but gave that career up after a negative review written by the title character, Sam Loudermilk, played by Ron Livingston.

Who is the coffee shop girl in Loudermilk? ›

Loudermilk (TV Series 2017–2020) - Maddie Phillips as Barista - IMDb.

Is Loudermilk filmed in Seattle? ›

Although set in Seattle it is actually filmed in Vancouver. Almost every actor in the series is Canadian. This allows the production to take advantage of the numerous tax credits and lower costs of the Canadian dollar. (2021).

Who is the old guy in Loudermilk? ›

Alex Kliner: Old Man.

Does Ben marry Loudermilk's ex-wife? ›

In the wake of discovering that his ex-wife married his former roommate/friend/sponsor Ben, taking a shot of bourbon at Mardi Gras, losing his role as a Sober Friends counselor at the church, and sleeping with his neighbor Allison, Loudermilk continues to try to help members of his group in the storage closet of a ...

What is the theme song for Loudermilk? ›

What is the opening song in Loudermilk? In the opening credits of the episodes, the song you can hear sampled in the background is Stand on the Horizon by Franz Ferdinand.

What happens in Loudermilk season 2? ›

Loudermilk gets help with his legal battles, and several group members seek alternative treatment with Cloud's cousin. New Guy shares a secret with Roger, and Loudermilk's excessive criticism has consequences. Loudermilk overhauls his out-of-shape body, and Claire deals with the grief of her father's passing.

Is anyone actually called Loudermilk? ›

The Loudermilk family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Loudermilk families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 8 Loudermilk families living in North Carolina. This was about 44% of all the recorded Loudermilk's in USA.

Why did Loudermilk end? ›

By 2020, AT&T announced it was shutting down the network to shift its focus to support HBO Max as the HBO Max Preview Channel. The decision to end Audience wasn't wholly unexpected, given that it struggled to gain a large viewership, and HBO Max was a more lucrative endeavor for AT&T to pursue.

What happened in Loudermilk's last episode? ›

The ending of Loudermilk season 3 is centered around the character Sam Loudermilk and his journey of recuperation and self-discovery. After a relapse in New Orleans, Loudermilk returns to Seattle to start anew.

What happened to BMS Season 4? ›

The game is over for Coach Daniels (Ed Marinaro) and his team. There won't be a fourth season for Blue Mountain State. The Spike TV series has been cancelled. The comedy series revolves around the on and off-field antics of Pennsylvania college football powerhouse, Blue Mountain State.

What happened in Season 4 of the game? ›

S4.

Melanie deals with the backlash of having to ld Derwin the results of the DNA test, only to learn that the results are incorrect. The baby is his. Malik commits the ultimate betrayal when he sleeps with Tee Tee's new girlfriend Allison. Meanwhile, Jason is growing increasingly upset by Kelly's reality show.

How many seasons of Loudermilk are there? ›

The three seasons of sobriety-centered comedy Loudermilk, about a washed-up music journalist starring Ron Livingston as the eponymous character, was a hit with fans. Still, it's not clear when we will get more of the series.

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