Speaking with Variety, Sam Elliott opened up about joining Landman Season 2 as Thomas “TL” Norris, the father of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris. Elliott also made it very clear that, while he has no idea what Sheridan has planned for TL’s future, he does have one hope for the character’s relationship with Cheyenne, played by Francesca Xureb. “I love that you mentioned Francesca, because she’s overlooked in most all of this stuff that we do,” Elliott said. “And she was a dream to be around, not only to work with, but she’s just a lovely girl. I have no idea what Taylor has in mind for that character. I hope it just remains what it is: this wholesome relationship.”
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Sam Elliott Says His Landman Character’s Frailty Is ‘Very True’ to His Own ‘Hard Life’
Elliott reflected on one of season 2’s most heart-wrenching storylines, in which T.L., the father of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris, grapples with the realities of a body that can no longer keep up with him. “The truth of it is, [that scene] is very true to where I am at this point in my life physically,” Elliott said in a new interview with Variety. “Not mentally, but physically. I’ve had a hard life. I’ve been an athlete all my life, and I’ve been a laborer all my life, and I’m paying for it now.”
The moment Elliott referenced came during a heartbreaking scene in the Jan. 4 episode, when T.L. found himself trapped in a swimming pool after realizing he could no longer pull himself out on his own. “With my knees and my hip, I can’t f—ing stand right now,” T.L. told Tommy as his son prepared to help him from the water.
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The conversation quickly turned emotional as T.L. reflected on living in a retirement home before moving in with Tommy and Angela (Ali Larter). “It’s a curse my mind is sharp,” T.L. told his son through tears. “I get to sit here and process all the ways my body is failing me.”
The exchange marked a turning point in the father-son relationship, culminating in a hug between the pair as Tommy encouraged his father to consider physical therapy.
Despite a career spanning more than six decades, Elliott said he’s still finding new ways to grow as an actor, including from his onscreen son. “I’m working with Billy Bob Thornton, so I’m going to be learning something from him this time around,” Elliott told Variety. “Even though he’s playing my son, he’s still got something to offer. He’s been in this game for a long time. He’s not only a brilliant actor, but he’s not a bad director or a writer.”
New episodes of Landman premiere Sundays on Paramount+.
