WhenLandmanfirst premiered on Paramount+, some viewers weren’t quite sure what to make of Angela Norris. Introduced via FaceTime as the flashy, foul-mouthed, high-kicking ex-wife ofBilly Bob Thornton’s Tommy, the character caught attention—and stirred controversy. But according toAli Larter, who plays Angela, that reaction was part of creatorTaylor Sheridan’splanall along. “Taylor wanted her loud and emotional, like a tornado of energy,” Larter told The Hollywood Reporter. “Anytime I would take my foot off the pedal, Taylor was on step. He wants them big and bold.”
Larter said Sheridan’s direction challenged her to push boundaries, even in the face of early criticism that Angela was being objectified. Rather than shy away, Larter leaned in. “Objectify me. C’mon,” she laughed. “Nobody’s putting me in a position that I’m not comfortable being in… What’s more uncomfortable is that people are so uncomfortable by their sexuality.”
But Angela isn’t just abombshell or a sidekick— she’s the emotional heart ofLandman’s unconventional family unit. In fact, Larter says the pivotal moment that helped her unlock the character came in Episode 3, when Angela tells her daughter she wants to leave her second husband and return to Tommy. “You see this woman who’s made these choices in her life to take care of her children,” Larter said. “She’s very comfortable in her body and her sexuality. I love that Taylor writes for older women — women in their prime —that we’re still allowed to be alive!”
What Will Ali Larter Do in ‘Landman’ Season 2?
For fans wondering ifAngela’s tone will soften in Season 2—don’t count on it. Sheridan’s vision hasn’t wavered. “The way he envisioned this show is that it has so many tones… There are so many different parts of this show, and I think what has connected with audiences is that all these tones work together in Taylor’s vision,” Larter said.
Larter also credits her work with Thornton for bringing real depth totheir on-screen relationship. “Me and Billy spent a ton of time mining this material. We knew the end [of Season 1], and we were also playing this game… if we do this for seasons, we can’t tire it out.” She emphasized that they deliberately built their characters’ history into every interaction: “There was a lot of fighting and vitriol, but we really worked to find our connection as humans that we could then bring into our work.”
LandmanSeason 1 is now streaming on Paramount+. Season 2 is currently in production in Fort Worth, Texas.
Source:THR
