SPOILER ALERT! This story contains details from the season one finale of Landman on Paramount+.
The first season of Taylor Sheridan‘s drama about the West Texas oil industry came to a conclusion Jan. 12 with a special appearance by a Hollywood great and a promise that Tommy’s problems with the cartel are far from over.
Here, star Billy Bob Thornton (Tommy Norris) talks about the latest cast addition, what we can expect from Demi Moore’s character going forward, and if he knows anything about a season 2 of the series. But first, Thornton had a few thoughts to share about the victims of the L.A. wildfires.
“My heart goes out to all the people who are suffering in Southern California right now from these fires,” Thornton told Deadline. “I lost our house, my family and I when my oldest son was four months old in the ’93 Malibu fire. So I’ve been there. I’ve lost everything. I just want to say that no matter what part of the county it’s in, I know what that feels like and it’s devastating.”
DEADLINE Andy Garcia was cast back in May of 2024 as a character named Galino, who was described at the time as “an extremely capable, powerful and practical man.” Ha!
BILLY BOB THORNTON It was really great working with Andy because he and I have known each other for years and it’s the first time we worked together. It was kind of neat to have the old veterans come head to head in the finale. Andy and I are similar in the way we think about acting, but Andy’s a much fancier guy than I am. In other words, he’s perfect for that guy and then me for the dirty oil guy who barely ever changes his shirts. It was just very natural, very organic, what we did there. And plus he saved my butt there at the end, didn’t he?
DEADLINE He sure did. Tommy’s never met him, right?
THORNTON Right.
DEADLINE I’m assuming Garcia will play a much larger role in season 2?
THORNTON If there is a second season, God willing.
DEADLINE I want to ask about Jerry Jones’s speech at Monty’s bedside. That was pretty damn terrific.
THORNTON It was really great. Jerry actually grew up near where I did just an hour and a half from where I did in Arkansas. We had never met. It was really amazing to meet him, a guy who has built an empire like that. Essentially what Jerry was doing was telling his own real life story. It’s just like, ‘okay, roll. What happened, Jerry?’ And he told the story of his family and the cowboys and the whole thing. And to be in the room with him telling that story, I felt like I could have just been in a bar with him or at his house or whatever with him telling it, because he obviously meant every word of it. I know people that he’s told that story to before. I actually got a text from a friend of mine who’s an ex-NFL guy, a very famous one who said, ‘Jerry told me that story before.’ He said it was really as moving the second time as it was the first.
DEADLINE When Tommy first saw that coyote in his backyard, what was he thinking?
THORNTON Well, I think Tommy’s looking at the coyote and trying to figure out, is that me or is that them? Tommy connects with that coyote in a lot of ways. Like this lone wolf animal out there, this coyote just running around the field and Tommy’s looking at him with a kinship, but then he is killed right before his eyes. When Tommy walks out there and looks at the coyote in the eye, it’s like, ‘okay, I guess that is me. It could be me. Or is it?’ I think he’s trying to figure it out, because the coyote doesn’t just walk by, they lock eyes and it’s almost as if the coyote’s trying to tell him something. It’s like, stay away from this, or no, you have to do this. And I think it’s Tommy trying to figure out what his place is in this whole mess.
DEADLINE I also loved the moment when Dale [James Jordan] picked up Tommy after his torture session and Dale asked him what he was thinking about mentally.
THORNTON Yes it was right after the Andy Garcia thing, and I’m pretty beaten up. We shot that in the middle of the night and I was just completely knackered. I mean, I was about to pass out, so there wasn’t a lot of acting required. And by the time I got in that truck, I mean, I think Tommy was thinking about how he was glad to be out of there, but boy are we in for something now because the big man’s here.
DEADLINE We obviously didn’t see a lot of Demi Moore this season as Monty’s wife Cami. Do you know if we’re going to see a lot more of her next season?
THORNTON I think definitely if there were to be a second season, Demi will figure into it greatly.
DEADLINE Whenever Angela [Ali Larter] calls Tommy in the car, you start cussing and freak out. It’s always such a hilarious moment. Is that something you just improvised and it became a thing?
THORNTON Oh no. Taylor intended for that to happen because every time she pops up, it’s her wanting me to dress up in a clown suit and go to some party right when I’m in the middle of going through hell. I mean, she always calls when our son’s in the hospital or something just blew up. I have to drive 350 miles right now to go solve this horrible problem. And then it’s like her going ‘hey babe.’ And it’s like, are you kidding me? I actually have a couple of friends who they will call me 10 times a day until they reach me when I’m in the middle of filming or something. Every time you look and see the name and it’s like, come on dude. In a lot of ways Angela drives Tommy crazy, but I think he deeply loves her. I think a part of her is adorable to Tommy. If it weren’t, I don’t think he’d take it.
DEADLINE If you were to go another season, has Taylor given you any indication where things will go?
THORNTON Not really. Taylor keeps it pretty close to the vest until it’s time. Okay. And when he knows it’s time, he’ll let me know. And when he lets me know, he really lets me know the whole thing. It’s kind of like you want to get all the dust out of the corners before the family gets home when you’re cleaning the house. He really wants it to be where it’s supposed to be before any of us hear about it.
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