How Landman Star Ali Larter Feels About Taylor Sheridan's Controversial Writing

Taylor Sheridan's shows often receive criticism for their portrayal of women, and his oil-worker drama "Landman" is no different. In this case, some fans believe that Ali Larter's Angela Norris is too over the top and shallow, as she spends a lot of her time drinking cocktails and hanging out at a pool. Similarly, critics have argued that Michelle Randolph's Ainsley Norris, a teenager, is way too sexualized, especially in the scenes that involve her wearing bikinis, talking about her love life, and being checked out by older men. 

Be that as it may, Larter believes that Sheridan writes women who have depth, and there is nothing wrong with them being risqué from time to time. As she told The Hollywood Reporter:

"Nobody's putting me in a position that I'm not comfortable being in. I have two children. I've been married for 19 years. I love playing this character. If there was something I was uncomfortable with, I wouldn't do it. What's more uncomfortable is that people are so uncomfortable by their sexuality."

Larter noted that "Landman" is tonally all over the place and that its characters have emotional range. With Angela and Ainsley, she believes that Sheridan has created two women who flaunt their sexuality, but it doesn't define their entire personalities. Angela, for example, is a loving mother and wife, which allows her to showcase her quieter, more grounded side. That said, Larter also loves the aspects of Angela's personality that have led to the character being criticized as yet another example of Sheridan's controversial writing.

Taylor Sheridan almost ruined "Yellowstone" season 5 by having his character, Travis Wheatley, at the heart of some controversial moments (though the series had become a dumpster fire long before then, so let's not blame its failures on one specific thing). The most notable example is in the episode in which the rude rancher plays strip poker with super models and hits on Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), which can be viewed as yet another example of a Sheridan show objectifying women.

On the flip side, many "Yellowstone" fans believe that Beth — who, for what it's worth, makes Travis look like a fool in the aforementioned episode — shows that he is capable of writing complex women. She's fierce, messy, and willing to kill people, but she is also compassionate and nuanced. Ali Larter's "Landman" character is more easygoing than Beth, but the actor believes that Angela is complex in her own right. As Larter explained to THR:

"I have so many parts of myself that I can put into her. She wants to be flashy in a bikini and be all hot, and then you see her crumbling trying to keep her family together. You see her battling and feeling like she's getting older. Then you see her finding her calling and going to this old folks home and giving these people hope to live and bringing joy into their life. It's very multi-dimensional, and that's why it doesn't bother me."

With "Landman" season 2 on the way, Sheridan will have an opportunity to add more depth to Angela and Ainsley's stories. For now, though, Larter is perfectly happy with her character the way she is, and the actor doesn't see a problem with the showrunner's writing.

"Landman" is now streaming on Paramount+.