The Story Behind the Iconic Lionel Billboards in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

The Inspiration Behind Lionel Billboards

In 2017, Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh wrote and directed the critically acclaimed film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The dark comedy-drama tells the story of a bereaved mother named Mildred Hayes, played by Frances McDormand, who rents out three unused billboards to bring attention to her daughter's unsolved murder. The billboards soon ignite tension in the small fictional town of Ebbing and touch off a series of events that expose the emotional strains felt by the town's residents.

The concept of using three billboards to call attention to an unsolved crime was inspired by a real series of billboards encountered by Martin McDonagh over a decade earlier. In the 1990s, McDonagh reportedly saw a set of billboards in Georgia calling for information about the unsolved murder of a young woman named Kathy Page. This sparked the idea that eventually became the premise of his award-winning film.

The Story Behind the Lionel Billboards

In Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the three billboards purchased by Mildred Hayes are owned by an advertising company called Lionel Ads. Not much background is provided in the film about Lionel Ads, but it can be inferred that it is a small, local company managing billboards and other advertising displays in the rural region around the fictional town of Ebbing.

The Lionel billboards themselves, while unimportant to the plot, play a crucial role. Their message, calling out Chief Willoughby and the Ebbing police department for failing to solve Angela Hayes’ murder, drives much of the conflict through the film. Mildred’s decision to use the billboards to accuse local authorities lands like a bombshell in the town, drawing praise and condemnation in equal measure from Ebbing’s residents.

The Lionel Billboards as a Dramatic Device

The Lionel billboards in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri serve an important dramatic function. Visible to all those traveling the road into town, the billboards constantly remind the characters—and audience—of both Angela Hayes’ unavenged murder and Mildred Hayes’ pain and anger. The tension around these subjects simmers under every scene, periodically erupting when the billboards or their message are directly referenced.

The billboards also act as a visual representation of Mildred’s refusal to allow her daughter’s murder to be forgotten. By attacking Chief Willoughby, she draws battle lines—it’s Mildred versus complacent authorities and anyone else in Ebbing who might prefer "polite silence." This dynamic drives events throughout the film’s briskly paced story.

The Legacy of the Lionel Billboards

Through Martin McDonagh’s brilliant script, Frances McDormand’s tour de force performance, and the crucial thematic role played by the Lionel billboards, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri made a permanent impression on Hollywood and movie audiences alike upon its release in 2017.

The striking image of the rundown billboards with their blunt but ambiguous message quickly became iconic, providing plenty of fodder for internet debates about the complex characters and moral questions raised by the film. Meanwhile, the industry showered Three Billboards with accolades, including Golden Globes and Oscars for Best Actress (McDormand) and Best Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell).

Following its success, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri—with its unflinching story centered around Mildred's dogged quest for justice—cemented its status as a modern classic. And at the heart of it all lie the Lionel billboards: symbols of grief, rage, and a refusal to be silenced.

FAQs

Where is Ebbing, Missouri located?

Ebbing is a fictional rural town created by writer/director Martin McDonagh for the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. There is no actual town called Ebbing, Missouri.

Who plays Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri?

Mildred Hayes, the lead character who rents the billboards seeking justice for her daughter's murder, is played by Academy Award winning actress Frances McDormand.

What message first appears on the Lionel billboards?

The initial message on the billboards reads: "Raped While Dying" / "And Still No Arrests?" / "How Come, Chief Willoughby?"

Does the movie reveal who killed Angela Hayes?

No, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri never reveals who murdered Angela Hayes. The film focuses instead on Mildred's crusade for justice and its impact on Ebbing residents.