The real-life inspiration behind Billy Bob Thornton’s role on ‘Landman’ will change how you see the show
Taylor Sheridan's 'Landman' season 2 filming has resumed, and Billy Bob Thornton will be seen reprising his role as oilman Tommy Norris. His character this season takes a pivotal position after the sudden death of Monty Miller, CEO of M-Tex Oil. However, during a recent interaction with fans while appearing on a panel at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, Thornton confessed that he was inspired to play the troubled dad after similar real-life experiences. "That dynamic is like real life," he said, referring to his on-screen relationship with Michelle Randolph, who plays 17-year-old Ainsley Norris, Thornton's daughter.
"If my daughter said what [Ainsley] says to [Tommy], I would have a seizure," Thornton continued to explain that his real-life daughter was nothing like Randolph's character, as per People. The 'Goliath' actor has fathered four children; he has two daughters, Bella, 20, whom he shares with his current wife, Connie Angland, and Amanda, 45, whom he shares with his first wife, Melissa Lee Gatlin. And sons William, 31, and Harry, 30, whom he shares with ex-wife Pietra Dawn Cherniak. "I’ve been doing this for what, 79 years now," Thornton expressed gratitude over his equation with the cast, "I can honestly say that this bunch did become a family and this is the best crew I’ve ever worked with."
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Randolph, in a recent interview, said that she was equally impressed with her on-screen father. She admitted to being intimidated by his legacy before filming the series and expected that they would maintain a great dynamic. "I had heard incredible things about him, and so I was excited to meet him, but obviously, I'm like, 'Okay, this is someone I'm going to share a lot of scenes with for a really important show. It's something I care a lot about. I just hope that we have a good dynamic,'" she told People in an exclusive. Randolph revealed that she now looked up to Thornton as a 'father figure'. She also confessed that his sincere, modest demeanor immediately made her feel at ease. "We went to a dinner, and after I left that dinner, I was like, 'Okay, this is going to be great.'"
However, viewers have frequently criticized Sheridan's writing for highly sexualizing Randolph's character as a 17-year-old. "It’s not normal. It’s an attempt to demean young women and portray them as highly sexualized in an attempt to appeal to an audience of immature and undereducated men," a fan criticized on Reddit. "Does anyone else find Ainsley’s relationship with her dad really weird???? What 17-year-old girl in their right mind talks to their dad about their sex life????? Like, I’m a married woman, and the thought of even broaching the topic with my dad is mortifying," a viewer pointed out about the NSFW moments between Ainsley and Tommy throughout the series.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Randolph has continuously defended her on-screen persona, saying that she is playing a modern-day teen in the classic drama. She admitted to drawing inspiration from Jane Fonda while prepping for the role. "I can’t tell people how to interpret my character, but at least it’s sparking conversation. And I’m really proud of the show that we made," she concluded.