Billy Bob Thornton Opens Up About the Art of Keeping It Real
So, let me walk you through what’s been going on with Billy Bob Thornton and the newest season of “Landman,” because there’s a lot of interesting stuff happening both on screen and behind the scenes. When the show first launched on Paramount+, it wasn’t just successful — it turned into one of the biggest streaming hits ever, pulling in staggering amounts of viewing time. But according to Thornton, the real trick going into Season 2 was to ignore all of that success. He said it was important not to let the pressure of repeating a hit affect the work. Instead, the cast and creators approached the second season as if it was simply a natural continuation of the story they’d already been telling.
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And Season 2 truly does expand things in compelling ways. One of the biggest additions is the arrival of a new character: Tommy Norris’ estranged father, T.L., played by none other than Sam Elliott. While Elliott briefly appeared in early episodes, he becomes central in an episode built around the funeral of Tommy’s mother. What’s fascinating is that Thornton and Elliott had crossed paths on earlier projects — like “Tombstone” and “1883” — but this is the first time they’ve really been able to dig into scenes together. Thornton said that once he learned Sam Elliott would be playing his father, it felt like the perfect fit, especially because their natural rapport makes their scenes feel like two real people talking, not two actors performing.
Thornton talked a lot about his acting philosophy, too. Even though he’s played everything from misanthropic thieves to political strategists to deeply vulnerable characters, he insists he’s always “playing himself” — or at least one version of himself. He joked that there might be fifty or sixty versions, but the point is to keep performances grounded. He tells young actors never to see a character as separate from themselves, because that creates distance and makes everything feel forced. In his view, audiences can always sense when an actor is just reciting lines rather than understanding what they’re talking about.
That’s why he goes out of his way to fully understand the technical language in his roles. On “Landman,” that means getting a real grip on oil-industry jargon, just like he once studied air-traffic-control procedures for “Pushing Tin.” He believes that when actors know exactly what they’re saying, the audience can tell — and when they don’t, the illusion breaks.
As the lead actor on “Landman,” Thornton also feels responsible for setting the tone on set. He makes sure guest actors feel welcomed instead of overwhelmed, especially when they’re stepping into a complex world for just a day. And he credits people like show co-creator Christian Wallace, director Stephen Kay, and Taylor Sheridan — all former actors themselves — for creating an environment where everyone can relax and do their best work.
Season 2 of “Landman” is now streaming, with new episodes arriving each Sunday.
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