Landman has become one of Paramount+’s biggest original series. But before the show reached that level of success, creator Taylor Sheridan faced a surprising challenge. He had to convince veteran actor Sam Elliott to join the cast for Season 2. Elliott was not easy to persuade. He had previously worked with Sheridan on the Yellowstone prequel 1883. But Elliott is not a fan of Sheridan’s most famous work.
Sheridan shared the story while promoting his new book How Not to Die in Prison: A Survival Guide on The Howard Stern Show. He revealed that Elliott had called Yellowstone a “cowboy soap opera.” This made Sheridan’s job of casting him in Landman more difficult.
Why Sam Elliott Was Hesitant to Join Landman
Sam Elliott had already worked with Taylor Sheridan on 1883. He played Shea Brennan, the leader of a major westward expedition. But Elliott does not like Yellowstone. He has been open about his feelings toward the show. He thinks it is too much like a soap opera.
Sheridan knew this when he approached Elliott about Landman. He had to find a way to change Elliott’s mind. The creator did not try to defend Yellowstone. Instead, he took a different approach.
“I said, ‘You’re right. I’m not asking you to be on that. That’s the punk rock me throwing middle fingers at the industry and a lot of other sh*t. This is going to be the grown-up me. I have a story I want to tell. Here’s the story, and here’s the arc of your character.’”
Sheridan’s honest response worked. He convinced Elliott by explaining his vision for the character and the show. The pitch focused on the story and not on defending Yellowstone.
Sam Elliott’s Role in Landman Season 2
Elliott joined Landman in Season 2 as Thomas “T. L.” Norris. He plays the father of Tommy Norris, who is played by Billy Bob Thornton. The character is estranged from his son and uses a wheelchair. He is mourning the sudden death of his wife when he is introduced.
The arrival of T.L. Norris sends shockwaves through the Norris family. It also affects the West Texas oil world where the show takes place. For Billy Bob Thornton, Elliott was the perfect choice to play his father. Sheridan was determined to bring him on board.
Elliott found the experience of joining Landman a bit overwhelming at first. The show had a hugely successful first season. Coming in part-way through a hit series made him nervous. But he has described the show as “a real gift”. He also extended that compliment to “anything else that Taylor does”.
Elliott also spoke about working with Thornton. The two actors had briefly worked together before on 1883. But this time, they got to spend more time together.
“This time, we’re in deep, and it’s just a treat to go to work and be with him. I’ve loved him afar for a long time, and now I get to love him up close.”
Taylor Sheridan’s Approach to Casting
Taylor Sheridan has a unique way of casting his shows. He often writes roles with specific actors in mind. This was the case with Billy Bob Thornton for Landman. Sheridan wrote the oil-worker drama with Thornton specifically in mind.
Thornton spoke about this experience in an interview.
“You don’t get that handed to you very often. When somebody says, ‘I think I have your voice, I know how you talk, I know how you think and I’m gonna write this show specifically for you.’ It was just a great honor.”
Sheridan also allows actors to improvise some of their lines. Thornton rarely feels the need to change things because the scripts are already strong. But he did convince Sheridan to change one key scene in Season 1.
Not every actor gets an easy path into a Sheridan show. Ali Larter, who plays Tommy’s wife Angela Norris, had to go through multiple script readings. She also had to attend a screen test with 11 other actors before she got the role.
Sheridan regular James Jordan has spoken about how Sheridan likes to challenge his actors.
“I’m not the only one; he uses a handful of us over and over again. I think he likes to challenge us, to see how far he can push us, and to see what we bring to the table in regard to his storytelling.”
Landman’s Success on Paramount+
Landman has become a major hit for Paramount+. The first season brought in 35 million streaming viewers worldwide. It became the streamer’s most-watched original series. Season 2 continued that success. The premiere episode earned over 9.2 million streaming views in its first two days.
The show is set in the high-stakes world of West Texas oil. It follows Tommy Norris, a landman who works for an oil company. The series is based on the Texas Monthly podcast Boomtown. It was created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace.
The cast includes an impressive lineup of actors. Billy Bob Thornton leads the show as Tommy Norris. Demi Moore plays Cami Miller. Andy Garcia and Ali Larter also star. Jon Hamm appeared in Season 1. Season 2 added Sam Elliott to the mix.
Christian Wallace, who co-created the show with Sheridan, spoke about the series’ success. He said they are just getting started with the story.
“We barely skimmed the surface in season one. And again, after season two, I feel like we’re still just skimming the surface.”
Wallace also praised Sheridan’s role in the show’s success.
“[Taylor’s] the reason why we’re all here.”
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Landman Season 3 Updates
Paramount+ renewed Landman for a third season in December 2025. The show continues to be a key part of Taylor Sheridan’s growing TV empire. Filming for Season 3 is set to begin in August 2026.
Billy Bob Thornton will return as Tommy Norris. At the end of Season 2, Tommy was fired as president of M-Tex. He started his own oil business called CTT Oil Exploration & Cattle. But the new venture came with problems. It was funded by drug kingpin Gallino, played by Andy Garcia.
Other cast members expected to return include Demi Moore as Cami Miller. Jacob Lofland will be back as Cooper Norris. Ali Larter returns as Angela Norris. Michelle Randolph will reprise her role as Ainsley Norris. Paulina Chavez returns as Ariana Medina. Sam Elliott is also expected to return as Thomas “T. L.” Norris.
The show has also seen some cast members receive salary bumps. Jacob Lofland and Michelle Randolph are going up to $130,000 to $180,000 per episode for Season 3. Other cast members like Paulina Chavez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, and James Jordan have also received raises.
Landman has become a major part of Sheridan’s lineup of shows. He also created Yellowstone, 1923, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lioness, and The Madison. The show has proven that Sheridan can create hits beyond the Yellowstone universe.
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