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Billy Bob Thornton, renowned for his role in “Landman,” usually exudes an unshakeable demeanor. Yet, filming scenes for the show’s second season presented a unique challenge for him, particularly when acting alongside his new co-star, Sam Elliott. Elliott joined the cast for the second season, portraying Thomas “T.L.” Norris, the father of Thornton’s character, Tommy Norris, a brash landman and oil magnate.
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Thornton and Elliott share a long-standing friendship, with Thornton holding Elliott in high esteem, almost viewing him as a paternal figure. This dynamic made it difficult for Thornton to portray the often strained and contentious relationship between the two characters on screen, requiring him to act harshly toward Elliott, which he found personally challenging.
In an interview with Variety, Thornton shared his struggles, saying, “Some of the hardest stuff I had to do was when I had to be abrupt to, or even mean with, Sam Elliott. Sam and I are old, old friends. He’s been like a pop to me since I’ve known him in the ’80s. He’s been a mentor, a friend, and everything. Sometimes, knowing the other human, it’s not as easy to just go for it, but you have to. You have to go 100%.”
Thornton’s difficulty in being harsh to someone he deeply respects is entirely understandable, even as the series itself presents its own share of complexities. However, Thornton was not alone in finding “Landman” Season 2 challenging; Sam Elliott faced his own hurdles.
Having endured grueling conditions while filming the “Yellowstone” prequel “1883,” Elliott felt the challenges were almost life-threatening. Despite this, he returned for the second season of “Landman,” showcasing the professionalism that won him high praise from series creator Taylor Sheridan. In an interview with People, Elliott revealed that joining an already established show was daunting, but Thornton’s presence eased the transition.
Sam Elliott also found some aspects of Landman hard, but for different reasons
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Elliott remarked, “Even after 56 years, or whatever it’s been … I mean, coming in and joining [Thornton] on an established show, we have a history, so that made it a lot easier. Had I not known Billy before this, it would’ve really been daunting. But I consider him a close friend.”
The filming conditions for the “Yellowstone” prequel “1883” were so hard that Elliott thought he would die. Still, he clearly didn’t find the experience too prohibitively horrifying to return for seconds — a testament to the kind of professionalism and talent that has made Taylor Sheridan’s feelings about working with Elliott overwhelmingly positive. Still, in one particular way, “Landman” was a challenge for Elliott. In an interview with People, the veteran actor admitted that it wasn’t very easy to join the show’s cast because of how far the story had already progressed.
Funnily enough, it was the presence of Thornton — the very man who occasionally had a hard time working with Elliott — that kept the experience from being too overwhelming. “Even after 56 years, or whatever it’s been … I mean, coming in and joining [Thornton] on an established show, we have a history, so that made it a lot easier,” Elliott said. “Had I not known Billy before this, it would’ve really been daunting. But I consider him a close friend.”
