Yes, bikini-clad baristas actually do exist.
No, the cartel doesnt maintain relationships with landmen likeBilly Bob Thorntons Tommy Norris.
Were you a part of the writers room?
Billy Bob Thornton in Landman, (inset) Christian WallaceParamount+/LeAnn Mueller
Watch on Deadline
CHRISTIAN WALLACEYes.
Taylor and Iwerethe writers room.
Taylor asked me to write a spec script based on the stuff wed been talking about.
We would talk about scenes, dialogue, things like that.
And then Taylor would actually go and write the episodes.
DEADLINE So as someone whos done a podcast about big oil, how accurate is the show?
WALLACEA lot of it is very accurate.
Some of it we had to kind of squeeze together to make it make sense for our characters.
And its funny, it depends on who you ask.
My uncle who works in the oil field for the last 30 years will nitpick every little thing.
DEADLINE Well, the big factor is obviously the cartels.
Is that something that you addressed in your podcast?
Is that a reality out there?
Theres oil theft, theres equipment theft.
It is kind of the wild west in certain ways out there.
And so that part is accurate.
DEADLINE Bringing in the National Guard to help keep the cartel away was a great plot point.
Does anything about that ring true?
I mean, hes just so good at spinning a narrative up to its utmost height.
And so the National Guard is all credit to Taylor.
DEADLINE So what specifically in your podcast became a storyline in the series?
WALLACEThere are things throughout the entire show that are little call-outs from parts of the podcast.
And the answer to that is, yes, there really are.
We actually had an episode of the podcast where we spoke to some of these baristas.
Sex work is a huge part of any boom town that is a part of the economy.
Its part of what happens, and then there are the deaths on the rigs in the oil field.
Those are things that really happened.
We touched on that in the podcast.
We went deep into some of the oil field accidents and safety.
Some of the scenes are directly from that, such as the pipe crushing scene.
Thats a real story that I heard from my uncle growing up.
Some of the things that almost seem unbelievable are actually based on reality.
DEADLINE Im assuming youve met a few landmen in your time out there?
One of my best friends is actually a landman.
DEADLINE Is he just like Billy Bobs Tommy?
WALLACEHe does like Bud Light!
We needed Tommys character to be able to go and do all these different things.
DEADLINE Tommy is obviously quite fearless.
The real landmen that youve met, are they like that?
WALLACEI think it varies quite a bit.
Others are very bold and can sit through a multi-million dollar negotiation with nerves of steel.
So with any job, they kind of execute the gamut.
Is that all from Taylors head or is that something that you addressed in the podcast?
WALLACEWe do talk about renewables in the podcast and how solar and wind are proliferating in the Permian Basin.
Theres really not an antagonistic stand towards them if they are bringing jobs.
And yeah, those are conversations that you would hear in West Texas, those types of monologues.
DEADLINE What do you think about the women in Tommys life?
Does an Ali Larter exist out there and does she look as good as Ali does?
WALLACEThats a funny question.
I dont want to get in trouble with any Midlanders or Odessans.
There is that big Texas personality to both Angela [Larter] and Ainsley [Michelle Randolph].
And I think that is one of the things that I personally love about them.
You need that levity.
The show wouldnt be what it is without having them.
DEADLINE Viewers have certainly learned a lot about the industry from this show.
Are you hearing that a lot?
WALLACEYeah, I have.
This is definitely not a documentary.
Most people dont know anything about it or dont think about it ever.
So if this show helps ignite that conversation, I think that thats a good thing.
