Inside Landman: Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Co-Creator Christian Wallace, and Cast Talk Taylor Sheridan’s Latest Creation

When Landman premieres on Paramount+ on Sunday, you’ll once again be thrust into a world that’s mostly unknown to the general American public.

Taylor Sheridan’s work does that often, so adapting Christian Wallace’s Boomtown podcast (with Wallace’s help) about the rigors of the oil and gas business is a perfect fit.

During a recent press day, TV Fanatic had the opportunity to talk with Wallace and its stars, Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, James Jordan, Mark Collie, Kayla Wallace, and Paulina Chávez. They shared unique insights into the series, its characters, and what drives them.

When it comes to adapting a podcast into a full-fledged series, few storytellers have the industry sway of Taylor Sheridan.

As Landman co-creator Christian Wallace revealed, Sheridan’s reputation played a pivotal role in realizing the vision for the series. “One thing about working with Taylor is I think Paramount really trusts him as a storyteller, as a singular voice,” Wallace noted.

Sheridan’s influence allowed for a clear, uncompromised vision — one that Wallace believes has brought an authentic, grounded energy to Landman.

“Not everybody has that type of influence,” he admitted. “But when you allow a creative like Taylor to do that, I think that you get a result like Landman, which is a specific, authentic vision.

This commitment to authenticity runs deep within the series, especially in its portrayal of the oil and gas industry’s often hidden world.

Wallace shared that much of what viewers will see is directly inspired by real-life events and people, albeit fictionalized for dramatic effect. “There’s a lot that is taken directly from real life…characters, people that I’ve met, that I interviewed,” he explained.

“The situations and the things that happen are based on real life…the dangers of oil and gas, of working on a rig, are very real.” By embedding these true-to-life elements, Landman hopes to pull back the curtain on an industry that often operates outside the public eye.

In Wallace’s eyes, Landman does more than entertain; it gives voice to the often-overlooked men and women of West Texas and beyond, whose lives are bound to this complex, sometimes hazardous field.

He shared, “A lot of the reporting about oil and gas tends to focus on the business, the economics…And this show is more about the personal, the individual men and women who live in West Texas, and their stories.”

Yet the heart of Landman isn’t just the landscape or industry details; it’s characters like Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy who embody the rugged, unfiltered reality of life in West Texas.

Wallace described Thornton’s portrayal as deeply rooted in the world of crisis managers he encountered during his research. “Billy’s character is kind of one of a kind…He’s funny, he’s a badass, he’s got a lot of grit.”

For viewers, Thornton’s Tommy isn’t just a larger-than-life character — he’s a composite of real personalities, embodying a truth that Wallace hopes “you can feel” through the screen.

Ultimately, Landman strives to reveal the industry’s intricate balance of ambition, survival, and moral ambiguity.

Wallace believes the show will leave viewers with big questions, encouraging reflection on their own connections to the oil and gas world, from plastics to jet fuel, and to consider just how intertwined our lives are with this industry.

“I think this show will just ask viewers to think about what it means to engage with this industry’s final product,” he said.

And while the series may not provide all the answers, it undeniably adds a fresh perspective to the conversation.

Sheridan’s universe of shows are star-making vehicles. While some of today’s greatest talent brings his stories to life, he also showcases emerging and seasoned talent and a breadth of actors who have worked with him before.

James Jordan, Mark Collie, and Jacob Lofland are such a trio.

Lofland, an emerging actor whose credits include Mud, Justified, and Joker: Folie à Deux, plays Tommy’s son, Cooper, who aims to work his way to the top of the oil and gas business.

In our interview below, he reveals that while his hard-working blue-collar background prepared him for the rigors of the oil business, he was unaware of the industry’s dangers.

Jordan, who has worked on several other of Sheridan’s works, from Yellowstone to Lioness, plays Dale, a character who also works the rigs. What impresses him the most about Landman is the humor infused throughout. In his opinion, it’s the funniest thing Sheridan has ever written.

Collie, a seasoned actor who has appeared on shows like JAG and Nashville, plays Sheriff Walt Joeberg, Tommy’s old friend and ally. Collie talked with us about Walt’s impact on Tommy and how he often pulls him from the edge of using poor judgment.

Discover more with our exclusive interview with James Jordan, Mark Collie, and Jacob Lofland below.

Kayla Wallace, who TV Fanatics will remember as Fiona Miller on When Calls the Heart, plays a cutthroat corporate attorney named Rebecca who will either be Tommy’s savior or his downfall.

Wallace is no stranger to playing a woman succeeding in a male-dominated business, and she admits to relishing this opportunity “to have the power and the strength” to own a room.

It’s a part of herself she’s never tapped into, but it’s pretty clear she could get used to it.

Paulina Chávez, who is best known for the title role of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia, plays a young mother named Ariana who is forced to shoulder a burden nobody at her age should have to experience.

While these characters seem like polar opposites, Wallace and Chávez talked with TV Fanatic about how their worlds could change should they have the opportunity to meet.

For more, watch our exclusive interview with Kayla Wallace and Paulina Chávez below.

TV and film actress Ali Larter, who has had roles in Heroes, Pitch, and The Rookie, plays Tommy’s ex-wife Angela. Angela is a beautiful, fiery woman with a soft spot for her ex. If their marriage didn’t work out, it did produce two wonderful children and enough memories to last a lifetime.

Larter talked with TV Fanatic about Sheridan’s knack for writing dynamic, powerful women when they’re at their brightest and most vulnerable.

She talked about the booms and the busts of Angela’s marriage to Tommy and how Landman explores the decisions they made that took them in two different directions.

If it seemed to me that Tommy shielded his family from some of the realities of his dangerous occupation, Larter shared that she believes Angela isn’t in the dark at all. While Angela grounds Tommy, she’s the shot of espresso his life needs.

Discover what else Ali Larter revealed in our exclusive interview below.

Billy Bob Thornton, with his explosive talent and undeniable charisma, is the perfect actor to play Tommy Norris, the capable crisis manager and father those in his orbit couldn’t live without.

Thornton shared with us that the story behind Landman is essentially a presentation of the oil and gas business from the 2000s.

The names may have been changed to protect the innocent, he laughed, but the fact is that if the people who run these corporations could make money off of water, they’d be leading that charge.

He admits it’s easy to throw stones at the industry, but they are hardly the only business in existence that should share the same fate.

Thornton talked about Tommy’s relationship with his boss, Monty (played by Jon Hamm), and how he enjoys Tommy’s sideways, humor-filled view of life.

Watch Billy Bob Thornton in his own words with our exclusive video interview below.

Landman delivers everything you want in a drama — from high-stakes action to heart-pounding moments — while uncovering the secretive business that fuels our economy. Its robust characters fit seamlessly into Sheridan’s universe, each living large and feeling deeply.

Sheridan’s talent for crafting unforgettable personalities shines here. You can easily imagine Tommy and Angela on a double date with Beth and Rip from Yellowstone or Tommy kicking up dust on Tulsa King with Dwight Manfredi.

But Landman isn’t just another story in his world — it introduces a raw, rarely seen side of life that brings a fresh perspective to TV.

Whether you’re a longtime Sheridan fan or stepping into his world for the first time, Landman will capture your attention and pull you into its immersive storytelling.

Landman premieres with two episodes on Sunday, November 17.