Matt Barr is back in the saddle—literally. Sitting down to talk Walker Independence, the actor dives into what it’s like playing Hoyt Rawlins across two timelines, the joys of cowboy life (and why he still smells suspiciously clean), and how a Texas upbringing practically wrote his career for him.
“I grew up in Texas, riding quarter horses with my Uncle Dean,” Barr says, laughing. “It’s in my DNA. Fort Worth, the rodeo on weekends—it all kind of led here.” It’s a full-circle moment considering his Walker Independence character, Hoyt Rawlins, shares a name (but not much else) with his modern-day Walker counterpart. “Same name, totally different dude,” Barr explains. “But I did sneak in little breadcrumbs between the two. There’s a nervous laugh both versions have—it’s just a Hoyt thing, I guess.”
Filming in Santa Fe meant plenty of heat, wind, and the occasional cinematic hair moment. “We call it Windy Independence,” he jokes. “And somehow, my co-star Justin Johnson Cortez always looks like he’s in an Herbal Essences commercial, while I look like Cousin It.”
Barr also appreciates how Walker Independence pushes boundaries for the Western genre. “We talked about putting a Baz Luhrmann or Guy Ritchie spin on it. Western purists will still get what they love, but it’s modernized, from the story to the music.” The soundtrack, featuring The Kills and Phosphorescent, was a deliberate choice. “It turns expectations on their head. I love when music does that.”
And while Walker Independence leans into adventure, Barr sees deeper themes at play. “It’s about identity, community, and trying to be a better person, even if you screw it up along the way. That’s Hoyt’s whole journey—he keeps taking steps backward, but every now and then, he gets one right.”
So what’s next if Walker Independence returns? “I keep pitching a treasure hunt,” Barr admits. “I can’t escape this idea. Something hidden in those Texas Hill Country mines, a little National Treasure meets the Old West.”
Cowboys, buried gold, and buddy-cop vibes? Sounds like a good time. And if nothing else, we’ll know who to blame when we start looking for lost loot in Santa Fe.
Watch the interview above and then check out the trailer below.
