When Taylor pitched this to you, did he say this is your story?
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BILLY BOB THORNTONWell, actually he did.
I had done a cameo for Taylor in 1883.
Billy Bob Thornton in ‘Landman’Paramount+
Im going to write it in your voice.
Giant was one of my favorite movies.
So I was intrigued to be able to look into this world.
But then the strikes happened so Taylor had to lay off for a while.
But the ones he sent me, its like, wow, he did kind of get my voice.
If I were a landman, itd be kind of like that.
DEADLINE Is that what these men are actually called?
The men that do what Tommy does in the drama?
THORNTONOh yes, thats real.
I have met them.
And I met some landmen who were older and retired.
I would just get in conversations with em.
I think thats the best way to get stuff out of people.
Anytime I didnt know what some of the oil business jargon meant, I would just go and ask.
DEADLINE You have an incredible speech earlier in the season about fossil fuels versus alternative energy sources.
It was eye opening, so I wondered whether Taylor was getting on a soapbox.
I dont think he was getting on a soapbox.
Theres another side to this, and heres what it is.
It stirred up controversy because some people said, those statistics arent right.
And then some other PhD says, well, actually they are.
So it starts a conversation, which I think is always a good thing.
DEADLINE When you met those real life landmen, did they seem fearless?
Tommy certainly seems fearless.
THORNTONYeah, I think if youre in that world, its a dangerous business.
You understand the risk involved.
My character obviously came up doing more menial jobs in this.
So he is been there.
Theres not even much time to think in the job of being a landman.
Youre on the move all the time.
Theres always a problem to solve because he is a fixer really.
You develop an obsession with being successful.
DEADLINE Did you expect this would be so funny?
We added a few things as we went along.
The guy is just naturally funny when he wants to be.
I mean, its a dark sense of humor, but he is definitely funny.
DEADLINE Tommy drinks Michelob Ultra.
Was that in the script?
THORNTONYes, it was always there.
I think its like something like 4.5% alcohol or something.
Essentially, Tommy said h quit drinking, so hell stick to beer.
To me, this is not drinking, even though it does have alcohol.
DEADLINE Given the size of your role, were you on set every day?
But the elements … the weather, the terrain … those are really characters in this thing.
And they actually infiltrate you as an actor.
I never get the movies in Hawaii.
That doesnt happen to me.
DEADLINE Have you gotten feedback from those real-life landmen?
Are they happy that youre making their job sexy?
I mean, absolutely love it.
It reminded me of my childhood.
There are a couple of country singers I know who worked in the oil fields.
They both texted me and said, this totally reminded me of growing up.
I could taste the dust in West Texas and all this kind of stuff.
And theyre all saying its very authentic.
DEADLINE Can you tease where things are going in the season?
Who is going to get Tommy first, the drug dealers or Ali Larters character Angela?
THORNTONTheyre both definitely trying.
DEADLINE Tommys marriage is certainly interesting.
THORNTONTaylors had a hard way to go with the critics over the years.
I mean, hes such a powerful guy.
Its easy to knock him down.
But hes had the best reviews hes ever had for Landman.
Some of them mentioned the women and how Alis character may be a little cartoonish or whatever.
Its hard to look that good, but some of em do.
THORNTONIm wearing them right now.
