SEARCY: Remembering The Life of ‘Terror On The Prairie’ Actor Heath Freeman: Ally, Warrior, Friend

In early October of 2021, I received an out-of-the-blue call from my friend Dallas Sonnier, offering me a role in a movie called “Terror on the Prairie.” The film, produced by The Daily Wire, was set to star Gina Carano, someone whose story of cancellation I had followed with great interest. I too, in my own small way, had been feeling “cancelled,” albeit not so publicly.

I had felt many times that I was being overlooked for roles that I was right for because of my public political stances, which are at odds with mainstream Hollywood. There was nothing I could prove — I had no direct evidence or confrontations confirming it — but I am a character actor, not a star. No one who refused to cast me for political reasons would need to make it public, because they could just say, behind closed doors, “Not that guy.” They wouldn’t have to explain it, or confront me. The movie could be made with or without me, so why bother?

When I read the script, I was shocked at the size, the scope and the horrible beauty of the role of the Captain. He was flawed, damaged, ruthless, eloquent, charming and deadly. It felt Shakespearean. It felt daunting, terrifying — and irresistible. It was unquestionably the greatest film role I had ever been offered. Within two hours, I called Dallas back and said “Yes.” I was honored. 

With only ten days to prepare, I immediately put every aspect of my life on hold. My wife, Leslie, and I had recently purchased a new home near Nashville, both to be closer to our families in Kentucky and North Carolina as well as to prepare ourselves for the impending collapse of California, where we had lived for nearly thirty years — so I could take off for six weeks and take on this tremendous opportunity. 

I flew to Montana for the first read-through and met the amazing cast. I knew of Gina, and was proud to stand with her, as well as Tyler Fischer, a young comedian I had followed and enjoyed long before I met him. Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis, the son of one of the most famous and accomplished actors of our time, was there doing his very first movie role, along with the great Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, an MMA fighter I had followed over the years. And there was an actor there named Heath Freeman, whom I met for the first time. 

The read-through went very well, and there was a feeling during and after the reading that we had all wound up in something unique and strangely beautiful, something that could be a defining moment for all of us. 

As the evening wound down, we went back to have a few drinks at the place that Heath, who played a member of my gang in the film, had rented for the shoot. We had a blast; Cowboy and Heath practiced lassoing techniques in the backyard, while the rest of us laughed, talked, and had a great time bonding together. After a while, everyone had left the party except for me and Heath. (I’m usually the last one to leave a party, as my long-suffering wife will attest.) At a certain point, right before I finished my last whiskey of the night, Heath looked at me and said: “I hope you are ready for this.” 

I was stunned by his intensity, because up to that point, it had all been fun and games. And I didn’t really know this man. This was the first day I had ever met him. I didn’t know this guy, as they say, from Adam. 

“What do you mean?” I said. 

“This is an Oscar-caliber role,” Heath said. “You better be ready to bring it.”

I don’t remember everything we said after that, but I tried to laugh it off and say something dissembling like, “Well, I know how great this role is, and I hope I can fulfill it.” But as I went home that night, I thought, in my arrogant heart, “Who is this guy? Why is he challenging me this way? Who the hell does he think he is?” 

At that moment, I didn’t really know what to make of Heath Freeman. I thought, “Is he competing with me? Does he want to be better than me? Am I going to have to watch out for this guy? Is he an ally, or is he an adversary?” 

And of course, that said more about me and my insecurities about tackling this role than it said about Heath. 

As the shoot began, and we all started working together as a family, I came to realize that Heath was all about the work, the craft, and the art of acting, and that the only reason he challenged me the way he did was because he wanted to serve

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