Billy Bob Thornton weighed in on Sam Elliott playing his dad on Landman — despite them only being 11 years apart in age.
“That’s gone on since movies began,” Thornton, 70, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the Newport Beach TV Fest sponsored by Visit Newport Beach on Saturday, June 6.
The actor recalled similar experiences on other projects, adding, “Kathy Bates played my mom in Bad Santa too and he or she is nine years older. It’s acting, it’s a movie.”
Thornton continued: “Let’s say that it’s not within the newspapers or Wikipedia — how old anybody is — then no person would say a word.”
Landman introduced Thornton as corporate fixer Tommy working for an oil titan (Jon Hamm) while increase to its promise of plot twists. The season finale killed off Hamm’s Monty while Tommy was named the president of M-Tex before getting kidnapped — and severely beaten — by a drug cartel leader. Tommy is eventually released with the promise that he’ll work with the cartel.
Season 2 raised the stakes by shaking up the narrative with Demi Moore’s Cami added into the combination more. Elsewhere within the show, Ali Larter‘s Angela, Jacob Lofland‘s Cooper, Michelle Randolph‘s Ainsley and more are at the middle of their very own drama.
After Landman went through some surprise onscreen losses, Thornton addressed if Tommy might be next.
Taylor Sheridan‘s Landman introduced some shocking twists and turns — but where would season 3 go after Demi Moore‘s Cami fired Billy Bob Thornton‘s character Tommy? Landman, which premiered in November 2024, is Sheridan’s newest hit series, joining the ranks of Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Lioness. Based on the […]
“I believe Yana Grebenyuk Taylor [Sheridan] goes to let me loaf around,” he told Us, hinting that his character won’t be killed off just yet.
Thornton went on to indicate his support for Sheridan’s work — and once more took the prospect to advocate for the prolific producer’s lack of award show recognition.
“It’s like, ‘If you have got a disagreement over someone’s way or vibe or whatever it’s, that’s not the purpose,” he noted. “The purpose is, is he good? He writes great stuff.”
Thornton continued, “He’s created quite an empire — and you have got to respect him for that. He has the celebrity, he has the success, he deserves to be recognized for his work in TV shows, obviously.”
Landman is streaming on Paramount+.