Landman’s Lofland, Collie and Jordan Talk About Their Character Arcs in Taylor Sheridan’s Funniest Show Yet

Warning: Some SPOILERS lie ahead for episodes 1 and 2 of Landman!

A young man learns the dangers of the oil industry while a veteran worker and a sheriff see their livelihoods threatened in Landman. The oil rig drama marks the latest TV show from the innovative mind of yellow stone creator Taylor Sheridan and Expanding cityIt’s Christian Wallace. The show focuses primarily on Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris, the titular crisis manager of a West Texas oil company who faces the explosion of a drug cartel plane on company land, as well as the explosion of a platform and various family problems.

Between LandmanThe cast of characters is Labyrinth Corridor former student Jacob Lofland as Cooper, Tommy’s son who wants to be an oil crewman, even though he is the only survivor of the rig explosion at the end of episode 1. Also in the show are seven-time Sheridan collaborator James Jordan as Dale Bradley, a veteran petroleum engineer and one of Tommy’s roommates who must adapt to life when Tommy’s teenage daughter moves in, and Mark Collie as Joeberg, the local sheriff who is investigating the plane explosion, but it also has a history with Tommy.

Alongside Thornton, Lofland, Collie and Jordan, the group Landman cast includes 1923Michelle Randolph, Final destinationAli Larter, The substanceDemi Moore, Top Gun: MaverickJon Hamm, The Umbrella AcademyColm Feore, Kayla Wallace and Paulina Chávez. Currently sitting at a 71% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Sheridan’s latest film is off to a strong start thanks to its mix of explosive drama, well-written characters, and surprisingly effective humor.

Before the show’s premiere Screen speech interviewed stars Jacob Lofland, Mark Collie and James Jordan to discuss Landmanwhat to expect from his characters’ arcs in the rest of the season, especially Cooper and Ariana de Chávez, and why the show proves to be Sheridan’s funniest of his various neo-Western projects.

LandmanThe set was surprisingly very practical

“…there is danger if we don’t know what we are doing.”

Screen Rant: I’m excited to talk to you guys for Landman. I watched the first five episodes and I’m already hooked. Jacob, I’d love to talk to you first. Cooper is one of the biggest hearts of this show, as he acts as the audience in the world of the oil business. What was one of the biggest secrets to finding that character’s heart as he became immersed in this world?

Jacob Lofland: It wasn’t hard to find the heart, because when you’re put in that position, and this is Taylor Sheridan’s world, it’s real. When we get on set, we’re actually there with the oil rigs, and there’s danger out there if we don’t know what we’re doing. We were taught how to do this. At the end of it all, though, he wants to do it himself. He’s showing up there to make a name for himself. He simply knows that this might be the easiest path, and he knows people who have already done it. He doesn’t know what he’s signing up for to get there.

I also love Cooper and Ariana’s relationship as it evolves into a really special friendship. What was it like working with Paulina and finding that dynamic between these two characters?

Jacob Lofland: Oh, it was amazing and we worked really well together. Going back to what James said, we have an incredible cast and it didn’t take long for anyone to meet each other. We all fall in love. We’re all friends, you know? It worked really well, there was no pressure and we fell into it amazingly.

Sheriff Joeberg’s plot is “I will grow“In future episodes

“…the character is important to the family.”

Mark, I’ll talk to you next. I feel like we’re just scratching the surface of his character in these first few episodes. What can you tell me about how he might become more involved as things evolve, especially after Episode 1’s explosive opening?

Mark Collie: Well, whenever something explodes or someone finds a body, they call Walt. [Laughs] But ultimately the character is important to the family. Him and Tommy, obviously, you could probably tell they’re close. They’re closer than most businessmen and sheriff’s departments, you know, and Walt tries to be so accommodating, and tries to cover Tommy’s a– when necessary. But the problem is that this will grow and become more exciting and more dangerous. I would love to tell you everything, but I would probably get fired. I want to do season 2, so I’ll leave it at that, stay tuned. [Laughs]

LandmanThe cast often filmed from Sheridan’s first draft of scripts

Jordan also teases that Sheridan”Really flexes that funny bone“With the spectacle

James, I’ll get back to you next. You’re obviously a veteran at this point working with Taylor. I’d love to hear your thoughts as you saw what this character would be like and how you and Taylor worked together to really take this character to where we see him on screen?

James Jordan: You know, it all starts with Taylor’s words, her scripts. We shoot the first draft most of the time, they come in polished. There are tweaks here or there on the day, folks, but we’re filming what he originally wrote. So it all starts on the page and it starts with the script, and then under your excellent direction, and then working with these fantastic people here, and then Billy Bob and Ali and Mr. Hamm, and all those great people, you just show up. to the set and hit your target and tell the truth and then hope that it attracts an audience. We think so, because, of course, it’s another Taylor Sheridan world, an unexplored world, another frontier. And when you explore a frontier, you’re exploring the unknown, and we want people to join us on that journey.

I certainly think so, and I think people will also love how funny this show is compared to maybe some of Taylor’s other work.

James Jordan: Great point. I was just going to say that this is probably the funniest thing he’s ever written. Don’t you think so? I think it is. He really shows off that funny bone in this one, and it’s going to surprise people, and it gives people a chance to catch their breath between the big set pieces we have all 10 hours here. So yeah, really fun.

On Landman

Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern story of seeking your fortune in the world of oil rigs. Based on the remarkable 11-part podcast “Boomtown,” the series is a top-down story of bullies and savage billionaires fueling a boom so massive it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.

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Source: Screen Rant Plus