Jordan Maddox
Audio By Carbonatix
On Thursday evening, there was a different Billy Bob in Fort Worth. And no, he wasn’t at the city’s namesake Honky Tonk.
Stars from Taylor Sheridan’s hit show Landman took to the red carpet at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for the premiere of the show’s second season. Billy Bob Thornton, Sam Elliott (and his mustache) and other cast and crew from the Paramount breakout gave us a glimpse of what we can expect this season.
Landman was inspired by a Texas Monthly podcast by journalist Christian Wallace called Boomtown. The podcast explores life in the patch, also known as the oil field or the Permian Basin. As a West Texas native, Wallace was able to capture life working on an oil rig through his own experiences and those of his family and community, which relied on oil for a living. With his lived experiences and his journalistic knack for storytelling, he and Sheridan brought Landman to life.
“It’s just really, really meaningful to be able to tell a story about the place that you’re from that you care deeply about and that I personally feel like has been overlooked and misunderstood,” Wallace told us.
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Thursday’s season 2 premiere allowed North Texans the chance to step into the world of Landman‘s version of the Lone Star State — although it’s technically still our version, as the show was spotted filming across Dallas-Fort Worth earlier this year.
“The show is a dream,” said Paulina Chavez, who plays Ariana on the show. “I am just on could 9 being here with so many people who are just so passionate about this project. Being from Texas, West Texas, I mean, it’s so cool to be telling our stories.”
While the red carpet did not see Sheridan himself, the creative omnipresence was palpable. Thornton praised the writer, director and producer’s script-writing, clarifying that very few of his quips and witty remarks in the show are improvised. It is Sheridan who can take the credit for Tommy Norris’ sour attitude and quick wit, Thornton says. Praise for the absent producer didn’t stop there.
“Taylor Sheridan is Texan through and through,” said James Jordan, who plays Dale Bradley in the show. This isn’t his only Sheridan production, though. He has starred in many other works by the North Texas producer. He went on to describe Sheridan as hard-working and loyal. “He is the epitome of a Texan.”
Landman season two premieres on Nov. 16 on Paramount Plus.
