Billy Bob Thornton Reveals Shocking Level of Improv Allowed by Taylor Sheridan on Landman Season 2

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Billy Bob Thornton will reprise his role as Tommy Norris for season 2 of Taylor Sheridan’s popular Western series “Landman,” potentially delving deeper into the development of his iconic character. This series, one of several successful western productions by Taylor Sheridan, is available exclusively on Paramount+ and received high praise in its inaugural season. Thornton, along with Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, and Kayla Wallace, forms a powerful cast for “Landman” season 1. Sam Elliott has been announced as a new addition to the cast of “Landman” season 2, set to air in Fall 2025.

In a recent chat with Awards Radar, Thornton shared insights about collaborating with Sheridan to create the rugged yet appealing character of Tommy Norris for the series Landman. Unlike his usual approach where he tightly adheres to his written scripts during filming, Sheridan gave Thornton more creative freedom. This flexibility enabled Thornton to modify certain lines and incorporate improvisational moments while shooting the first season of Landman, which resulted in a more spontaneous feel for season 2.

Have you collaborated with Taylor before? If so, our paths crossed back in 1883. I’m curious to know about your experience working together on this recent project.

In essence, Taylor’s work was fantastic, with well-crafted scripts and tight writing. However, Taylor has been quite flexible with me during our collaboration, allowing for minimal improvisation in his material. In fact, Taylor and the Coen brothers, whom I’ve collaborated with before, have stuck to their scripts more than anyone else I’ve worked with. Yet, Taylor gave me creative freedom, saying “you’re a writer, you’re a director. You get this.” Occasionally, I add my own ideas, and if he appreciates them, he incorporates them. But Taylor’s writing is so compelling that I rarely deviate from it.

What This Means For Sheridan’s Approach To Landman Season 2

Sheridan Trusts Thornton As An Actor & Fellow Creative Collaborator

In his own words, Sheridan rarely encourages on-set improvisation during filming of his multiple series. This approach has proven effective, given his impressive track record – penning all 53 episodes of shows like Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, 1923, Lioness, and Tulsa King, without the conventional writer’s room. With a writing portfolio that many writers spend years or even decades to build, Sheridan stands out in today’s television industry.

It’s noteworthy that he is granting Thornton, who won an Oscar for adapting Sling Blade, creative freedom on Landman. This decision showcases Sheridan’s confidence in Thornton’s abilities.

Because Sheridan seldom lets others drive his “Landman” vehicle, Thornton finds himself in a unique position to mentor Tommy Norris, not just as an actor, but also as an unaccredited writer and director. Thornton immerses himself completely in the character of Tommy throughout every frame of “Landman” season 1, delivering a remarkable performance that has earned him a Golden Globe nomination. This collaboration could pave the way for more substantial collaborations between Thornton and Sheridan on “Landman”, possibly even Thornton directing an episode or receiving a writing credit, a feat he hasn’t achieved since the 2012 film “Jayne Mansfield’s Car”.

Our Take On Thornton’s Improv & Helping Create Tommy Norris

Sheridan Created Tommy With Thornton In Mind & Thornton Completely Nailed It

It might not be widely recognized that Thornton boasts a total of nine feature films with story or screenplay credits, and five where he served as director. He even helmed an episode of the acclaimed Amazon Prime Video series Goliath throughout its four-season span, positioning him ideally to direct an episode of Landman in the future, particularly if it extends beyond three seasons. Although Thornton commends Sheridan’s writing and concedes that his improvisational suggestions seldom materialize on set, the mutual creative rapport and appreciation between Sheridan and Thornton could foster even more innovative ideas.

As a fan, I firmly believe that Tommy is one of the finest characters ever brought to life by Sheridan. While I’m not advocating for Thornton and others to take the reins of an entire episode of “Landman” season 2, as the creator of “Yellowstone,” Sheridan is uniquely qualified to weave his tales. However, there’s a hint that Tommy was written with Thornton in mind, suggesting that Sheridan might be intrigued by what Thornton could contribute to specific scenes. Excitement fills me as I anticipate how Sheridan and Thornton will develop Tommy’s character further, now that he has ascended to the CEO position at M-Tex Oil after Monty’s demise in “Landman” season 2.

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2025-05-19 19:48