Billy Bob Thornton has shared new details about Landman Season 2, currently in production in Texas. Speaking during Deadline’s Contenders TV panel, the actor discussed how the arrival of Demi Moore’s character, Cami Miller, at the top of the oil company will alter the dynamic on screen.
Moore’s Cami takes over the business following the death of Monty, played by Jon Hamm, in the Season 1 finale. Thornton’s character, Tommy Norris, has been promoted to president of the company and now reports directly to her.
“Since she doesn’t really know the oil business that well, I’m there with her to show her how these people operate,” Thornton said. “You can know something intellectually, but what are the street smarts behind it? I know how to deal with these people she’s going to have to deal with. I just tell her, ‘Look, some of these deals you can take, but when it gets really weird and difficult, let me know because I know these guys.’”
Thornton said the new role adds pressure to an already volatile situation, as Tommy remains entangled in family issues, cartel activity, and field work. “He goes from having a job that’s really difficult and a job that’s very dangerous to having two,” he said. “Now I’m kind of executive and a landman and a family man in the midst of this tornado.”
Despite these changes, Thornton noted that viewers shouldn’t expect noticeable adjustments to his character’s outward appearance. “I think the only difference in my wardrobe this year is every now and then I’ll throw a sports jacket over my jeans and crummy button-up shirt,” he said.
The show, co-created by Taylor Sheridan and based on Christian Wallace’s Boomtown podcast, was the most streamed original series in January, according to Paramount+. Thornton credits part of its popularity to the grounded atmosphere and dialogue shaped by Wallace’s own experience in the oil industry. “You can’t just learn lines and recite them because people are not stupid,” Thornton said. “They catch on pretty soon that you’re just doing it by rote. We were lucky to have [the Wallace family] on set to say, ‘Hey, exactly what does this mean?’”
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Thornton said the added realism helped make performance choices more confident. He also pointed to a moment in Season 2 that features an animal co-star. In a scene following a traumatic event, a coyote silently observes Tommy, reflecting his mental state. Originally written with dialogue, the scene was revised during filming.
“Taylor and I talked it over. You know what, I don’t know if I should say anything. People are going to get it,” Thornton said. “We don’t need to put a hat on a hat. It was a very powerful scene even doing it. Getting a coyote to stand still and stare at you is not easy but we managed.”
Thornton also responded to critics who argued that Ali Larter’s character, Angela, was exaggerated. He said that version of a personality exists in real life. “You ever been to Dallas?” he said. “Just go down there and believe me, Ali is on every other corner.”
