The ATX TV Festival ended just as it began – with major celebrity appearances (hello, Billy Bob!) and a tribute to one of the greatest TV shows of all time. But first, let’s talk about what lead up to those exciting events!
Bill Lawrence and Zach Braff
The day started with Bill Lawrence and Zach Braff speaking about bad advice and great TV. The two shared favorite moments from Scrubs, including the iconic “Eagle!” scene that had the whole Paramount crowd in stitches. Fun fact — someone in the audience was wearing a t-shirt with that exact quote. When Zach spotted him, he grinned and said something like, “I’ll sign that for you later.” The guy froze. It was perfect.
They also opened up about the show’s unforgettable musical episode. Both are die-hard theater fans, and you could feel the joy in the room as they reminisced about bringing their Broadway love into the world of Sacred Heart. The Q&A wrapped with the same warm, funny energy they’re known for. It was like hanging out with your funniest friends from college.
Binging on Brunch with Plex
After the panel, we joined the folks from Plex for a breezy rooftop brunch at Heyday Social Club atop the Hyatt Centric. It featured great food, themed drinks and solid conversation with fellow TV fans. With a gorgeous view of downtown Austin, this was the kind of moment you want to bottle and keep. We took time to check out their hilarious ads, scan the QR codes and add to our watchlist before the afternoon kicked back into full gear.
A Texas-sized Honor For Billy Bob Thornton
Next up was one of the most emotional moments of the festival — the Texas Made Award presentation for Landman. Billy Bob Thornton took the stage along with series co-creator Christian Wallace and cast members Jacob Lofland and Michelle Randolph. They talked about what it means to make a show in Texas and why shooting Landman anywhere else — especially Vancouver — just wouldn’t work.
“Texans have a vibe you can’t fake,” Thornton proclaimed, crediting much of the show’s authenticity to local background actors who give it heart and grit. The pride for Texas ran deep, and you could feel it in every word.
Thank You For Being a friend
If you follow us on social media, it should be no surprise that the Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Script Reading and Conversation was a real highlight of the festival. The event started with girls in drag walking through the theatre handing out butterscotch candies while the crowd went wild. Live musicians serenaded the audience with favorite songs from the show, including the iconic theme song. Then the impressive cast started the pilot. Nathan Lee Graham (Coco/Stage Directions), Constance Zimmer (Dorothy), Yvette Nicole Brown (Rose), Carrie Preston (Blanche), Pamela Adlon (Sophia), Dan Bucatinsky (Harry), and Jeffrey Bower Chapman (Cop/Minister). Vella Lovell (Jean) joined in for the second episode.
Brown was flawless as Rose! Preston brought an emotional depth to Blanche that surprised and delighted the audience. Zimmer nailed Dorothy. And Adlon was Sophia Petrillo reincarnated. We laughed, we cried, we howled with the cast. The second episode beautifully showcased the delicate handling of important subject matters as Jean professed her love for Rose. The timing of it being the first day of Pride Month couldn’t have been better.
Moderator Hope Sloop from Decider brought the house down when she mentioned the original cast members couldn’t be there since they weren’t available! She led a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about women being in power at any age and the value of choosing your family. In the true spirit of the festival, the final message was, “Thank you for being a friend!”
That’s a Wrap on ATX TV Festival 2025
Every day brought something new — from belly laughs to heartfelt tributes. And Day four was no different. We’ll be talking about these panels, these stories and these moments for a long time. If you missed it this year, just promise us one thing. Be there next year. It’s worth it.
