Sam Elliott is dedicated to his role on the Paramount+ drama “Landman.” Elliott, 81, joined the cast for season 2, playing Tommy Norris’ (Billy Bob Thornton) father, T.L. Despite having over five decades of experience in Hollywood, Elliott still enjoys hanging around the “Landman” set and watching his costars work.
“He never leaves,” Kayla Wallace, who plays attorney Rebecca Falcone, said during an interview with People published on Sunday, Dec. 14. “Even if he’s not in a scene, he shows up early to set. He’ll find a place to sit — a bench, an apple box, whatever. He’s not fussy.”
Wallace added that Elliott is “just happy to sit there and be a part of it and watch all of us perform.”
Colm Feore, who plays fellow M-Tex Oil lawyer Nathan, told the outlet that while Elliott’s consistent presence creates a feeling of “support,” it can also be intimidating.
“It does up the [stakes] when you’re trying not to suck, right?” Feore quipped.
Season 2 of “Landman” kicked off in November. The show centers on Thornton’s character, a fixer and landman for the fictional oil company M-Tex. He becomes president of the company at the end of season 1. Tommy has new professional and personal changes during season 2, including reconnecting with his father, T.L. After the death of Tommy’s estranged mother, his ex-wife turned current love interest Angela (Ali Larter) insists that T.L. move in with their family.
Thornton and Elliott are longtime friends in real life, having previously shared the screen in the “Yellowstone” prequel “1883″ and the 1993 film “Tombstone.” Earlier this month, Elliott gushed about collaborating with Thornton during a joint interview with People.
“Having an opportunity to work with Billy again — we’ve only worked [together] briefly, a couple of times — and this time we’re in deep, and it’s just a treat to go to work and be with him,” he said.
Thornton told the outlet that “Landman” is a job “where you don’t have days when you don’t want to go to work.”
“We love to go to work on this show, and we love all the cast, it’s an amazing crew — best crew I’ve ever worked with,” Thornton said. “I mean, there’s never a day when I’m like, ‘Wow, I wish I could get the hell out of here.’ It never happens. It’s a wonderful place to be.”
Luckily for Thornton and Elliott, they have more shooting days ahead. “Landman” was officially renewed for season 3 earlier this month. New episodes of “Landman” premiere on Paramount+ on Sundays at 3 a.m. ET.
