Landman’s Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott Discuss Real-Life Emotions

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The second episode of Landman season 2 enters some of the series’ most emotional territory yet.

I just finished watching the latest Landman episode, “Sins of the Father,” and it really dug into the complicated relationship between Tommy Norris and his dad, T.L. It also showed us a lot more of Tommy trying to connect with his son, Cooper, and how difficult that is for both of them. They’re definitely working through some tough stuff together.

Cooper is still reeling from his split with Ariana, who struggled with the dangers of his job. To distract himself, he travels with Tommy to see T.L. and start making arrangements for his mother’s funeral. During their trip, Cooper learns the extent of the trauma his father experienced, including years of abuse and the loss of his own mother to addiction. Both Cooper and the audience finally understand just how much pain Tommy has carried.

Elliott recently told TV Insider about his initial reaction to the script, highlighting how impressed he was with Taylor Sheridan’s ability to capture feelings of regret and introspection.

I don’t focus on trying to feel a certain way when I’m acting. I don’t tell myself I need to be emotional or cry at a specific moment. Instead, I let the quality of the writing guide my performance. Taylor is exceptional at creating material that naturally brings out the necessary emotions, because he truly writes for actors. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s an actor himself, or simply because he has a deep understanding of people, but his work always provides everything we need. There’s an old saying in theater: ‘If it’s not in the script, it won’t happen on stage,’ and that’s absolutely true with Taylor’s writing – everything is there on the page.

The scene becomes particularly moving when Tommy apologizes to his son for not being there enough. They reconcile, and Cooper finally breaks down and cries, releasing his pent-up grief. Tim Thornton shared that filming this scene was deeply emotional for him, as it prompted him to reflect on his own relationships with his children and his father. He used his personal experiences to inform his performance, which allowed him to tap into genuine feelings.

I’m a father to sons and a daughter. My relationship with my own dad was complicated, and I draw on those personal experiences when I act. Sam and I are both pretty natural actors – we don’t rely on technique or pretense. If a scene doesn’t feel right, I don’t force emotion. Sometimes I’ll react in a way that isn’t explicitly written in the script, even crying when the scene doesn’t call for it. In this case, the emotions felt very real because of my own experiences with family – the joys, difficulties, and everything in between. When you’re acting out those kinds of scenes, you don’t overthink it; you just react honestly in the moment. When Jacob spoke to me, it was impossible not to feel deeply. Taylor Sheridan writes very authentic dialogue and assembled a cast of natural actors, and he clearly knew what he was doing.

This episode of Landman is particularly moving, showing the characters at their most vulnerable and revealing the deep-seated pain that has defined them for years. The actors deliver powerful performances, and Taylor Sheridan’s writing elevates the show beyond typical dramatic series, hinting at a much more complex story to come.

Landman season 2 releases new episodes every Sunday on Paramount+.

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2025-11-24 01:18