How Taylor Sheridan Convinced Billy Bob Thornton To Star In Landman

If Taylor Sheridan is a fan of your work, then landing a part on one of his shows can be a breezy effort. Jon Hamm's "Landman" audition was the easiest of his career, as Sheridan essentially offered him the part after flying him down to Texas to explain his vision for the show. And Billy Bob Thornton didn't have to audition to play "Landman" protagonist Tommy Norris either, as Sheridan penned the oil-worker drama with the veteran actor specifically in mind. Here's what Thornton said to Gold Derby in regard to having the part written just for him:

"You don't get that handed to you very often. When somebody says, 'I think I have your voice, I know how you talk, I know how you think and I'm gonna write this show specifically for you.' It was just a great honor. To see scripts written that you look at them and you don't just want to instantly start changing things or where I didn't have a lot of questions. In other words, it wasn't like I was going to sit there with them and pick things apart. It was really pretty flawless."

In addition to writing a character for him, Sheridan allows Thornton to improvise some of his lines on "Landman," even though the actor rarely feels the need to. That said, Thornton convinced the prolific showrunner to change one of "Landman" season 1's key scenes, so he's more than happy to offer creative input on some occasions. Still, don't let Thornton's experience fool you into thinking that Sheridan's shows are free-for-alls, as some actors have had to jump through hoops for their parts.

Billy Bob Thornton can rest well knowing that Taylor Sheridan wrote an entire hit series with him in mind. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Ali Larter — who plays Tommy's wife, Angela Norris, on "Landman" — as she had to perform multiple script readings and attend a screen test alongside 11 other actors before she got the gig. It was a difficult experience, but at least it culminated with her knowing her character inside out.

Larter is a newcomer to the Sheridan-verse, however, so maybe the creator just wanted to test the "Varsity Blues" star — to make sure that she was cut out for a demanding show like "Landman." Or maybe not, as Sheridan regulars like James Jordan — who's starred in most of his projects — told Taste of Country that the tireless creator also enjoys pushing some of his go-to actors to their limits. As Jordan put it:

"I'm not the only one; he uses a handful of us over and over again. I think he likes to challenge us, to see how far he can push us, and to see what we bring to the table in regard to his storytelling. And also, I think he enjoys seeing us swing for the fences, trying to hit those home runs with his material."

Despite not receiving an easy ride from Sheridan, Larter and Jordan have yet to complain about his processes. It seems that they are every bit as grateful to be part of his projects as Thornton is, and the success of his shows proves that his methods are working.