Landman, Taylor Sheridan’s hit Paramount+ drama series about people in and around the West Texas oil business, has locked its season two Emmys submissions, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The show’s first season was egregiously snubbed by the TV Academy, but its second has caught on with other major awards groups — it received Actor Award nominations for best drama series cast and stunt ensemble, as well as a best drama actor Critics Choice Award nom for star Billy Bob Thornton — and its cast has been hitting the campaign trail hard in recent weeks, suggesting its category submissions could have major Emmys implications.
Thornton, who plays the show’s hard-bitten main character Tommy Norris, will, of course, be pushed for best actor in a drama series. But unlike last year, when Ali Larter, who plays Norris’ irrepressible wife Angela, also campaigned as a lead, this year Larter — and everyone else in the cast — will go supporting.
That includes veterans Demi Moore, for her portrayal of the widow of Norris’ best friend-turned-Norris’ boss, Cami; Sam Elliott, who was not a part of season one but came on to play Norris’ father, T.L.; and Andy Garcia, who was only eligible as a guest actor last season, for playing Norris’ shady business partner, Gallino.
The supporting contenders also include a host of breakouts from the show, including Michelle Randolph and Jacob Lofland, who play Norris’ bickering children, Ainsley and Cooper; Paulina Chávez, who does standout work as the love interest of Lofland’s character, Ariana; and Kayla Wallace, who is memorable as Norris’ icy attorney, Rebecca.
Longer shots from the cast include Colm Feore and James Jordan as Norris’ colleagues and housemates, Nathan and Dale; and Mark Collie as the local sheriff, Walt.
On April 16, the TV Academy in North Hollywood was packed to the gills for a screening of the season two finale — which looked particularly stunning on a big screen — followed by an impressive Q&A and reception with Thornton, Larter, Elliott, Moore, Randolph, Lofland and Chávez. Then, on April 22, Paramount+ hosted a hot-ticket New York event called “The Icons of Taylor Sheridan’s Universe,” which featured Larter and Randolph alongside actresses from two other Sheridan hits, Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña of Lioness and Beau Garrett of The Madison — not bad company.
