The critical and viewership success of “Landman” is proof enough that it ranks among Taylor Sheridan’s best shows, but the oil-worker drama doesn’t rewrite his creative rule book by any means. In fact, some folks might assume that “Landman” and “Yellowstone” exist in the same universe, as they are both neo-Westerns whose plots involve organized crime and center around characters who boast strong family values. The family aspect of “Landman” also allows Billy Bob Thornton to bring elements of his personal life into his performances as series lead Tommy Norris, as he knows all about being a husband and father.
“That dynamic is like real life,” as he noted at the ATX TV Festival while speaking on a panel about his experiences playing the dad to Michelle Randolph and Jacob Lofland’s Ainsley and Cooper Norris, respectively, on “Landman” (via People). That said, Thornton added that his actual daughter is quite tame compared to Ainsley, who has a tendency to be quite crude and open about her love life on the Paramount+ drama. As the actor put it:
“If my daughter said what [Ainsley] says to [Tommy], I would have a seizure.”
Of course, the Norris unit is far from the conventional nuclear family, as the siblings feud with each other and their mother, Angela (Ali Larter), starts the series living with a rich guy she doesn’t love. Tommy, meanwhile, is known to get into trouble with the cartel — a concept that Thornton probably can’t relate to in the real world, even if other aspects of his character fit him to a T. “Landman” is indeed a perfect mix of realism and outlandishness, but Thornton believes that the series aligns with his sensibilities.
Landman is the perfect role for Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton excels at playing tough, sarcastic, no-nonsense characters, making him the ideal fit for Tommy Norris — a foul-mouthed cowboy who makes snarky comments even when there is a gun pressed against his head. Taylor Sheridan wrote the part with Thornton in mind, so it’s like the character was tailor-made to suit his style. Thornton doesn’t disagree with this sentiment either, as he told Variety that Tommy is an amalgamation of some of his more popular previous roles:
“The solitary part of Tommy is very similar to the character I played in ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’; I think he has his ‘Bad Santa’ moments; and if Tommy Norris were a lawyer, he would’ve been kind of like Billy McBride in ‘Goliath.'”
Thornton is also afforded some creative leeway by Sheridan on “Landman,” which is probably why he’s allowed to bring some of his real-life persona to his role. Whatever he’s doing is working, though, as the oil-themed saga has been a record-breaking success for its streaming platform..
“Landman” is now streaming on Paramount+.
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