Beverly Vance, mother of Vice President J.D. Vance, said she was satisfied with her ultimate payout for the 2020 film adaptation of “Hillbilly Elegy,” despite initial attempts by studio executives to lowball her.
Appearing on OutKick’s “Tomi Lahren is Fearless,” Beverly Vance addressed the business negotiations surrounding the Netflix movie based on her son’s 2016 bestselling memoir.
The film featured a stacked cast, including Amy Adams portraying Beverly Vance and Glenn Close playing her mother.
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Vice President JD Vance celebrates his mother Beverly Aikins’ decade of sobriety on Friday, April 4, 2025, at the White House. (White House press office)
“Do you think that you made enough money off of ‘Hillbilly Elegy’?” host Tomi Lahren asked. “I know originally they wanted to lowball you.”
“Um, I’m happy with what I made,” Beverly Vance said.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Sept. 3, 2026, in Washington, DC. Vance took questions in the first press briefing the White House has held in over 40 days, following former press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s departure last month. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Lahren pressed further on Hollywood’s standard negotiation tactics, noting that studios often attempt to shortchange individuals selling their life rights. Vance confirmed executives initially tried to pay her less, but acknowledged she refused to accept a low offer.
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“Do you think they thought that you were just gonna just take a little amount and be fine with that? And that wasn’t gonna fly with you,” Lahren said, pointing out the star power attached to the project.
The discussion also turned to whether the family’s story could return to the screen following J.D. Vance’s rise to the vice presidency.
When Lahren asked if there should be a “Hillbilly Elegy 2,” Vance deferred to her son.
“I think that should probably be J.D.’s decision, since he wrote the book and it’s based on his life,” Vance said. “That would probably be his call, but whatever he decides, I would be okay with.”
US Vice President JD Vance speaks at a MAGA Inc. super PAC event in Sterling Heights, Michigan, August 31, 2026. Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS ( )
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For Beverly Vance, a sequel would offer an opportunity to highlight her long-term recovery following the personal addiction struggles depicted in the original movie.
“It would be nice for people to see that I got clean and stayed clean, I think,” Vance said.
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