Landman ended with an explosive season finale, and everyone is expecting the show to resume with season two (which has been seemingly confirmed). While fans wait for news from Taylor Sheridan, the show’s creator, and Paramount, season one can be rewatched and recapped for more impressions and Easter Eggs on what the next installment could bring. That’s also a good chance for everyone to enjoy their favorite characters throughout the ten Landman episodes.
With guest stars like Michael Peña and Emilio Rivera, and a supporting star like Demi Moore, Landman immediately promised a big, star-studded story; however, there are also fresh faces in the main cast that have made some brilliant first impressions. The main characters in Landman can be likable – or not so likable – but they’re a greatly talented cast that makes a pretty impressive TV series. Ranking them might be tough because of this, but it’s interesting to see how this ranking might change when season two arrives.
Landman
- Release Date
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November 17, 2024
10
Cami Miller
Played by Demi Moore
Initially, Demi Moore was nothing but “that woman swimming in the pool” in Landman, but in later episodes, her role became a little more defined – especially in the season finale. Demi Moore plays Monty Miller’s wife Cami, and she seems to understand a lot about his work; she obviously loves him and cares for his health and well-being, but her role is more than likely to be defined in later episodes. In the season finale, after Monty dies, Tommy is declared the M-Tex president, and he wants Cami on the board of directors.
Cami Miller is intelligent and seems like she’ll be a great replacement for Monty, as she could be someone who understood his wishes and plans for the company. She was also with him for a long time, so knowing her husband inside and out will more than likely come in handy for her over the course of M-Tex’s upper management change. As Demi Moore won a Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar, there’s no chance Landman won’t want to use her more in the next season.
9
Nathan
Played by Colm Feore
Colm Feore is a pretty famous actor and a legend in the Hollywood ranks. In Landman, he plays Nathan, the M-Tex oil company’s attorney and business administrator who shares a home with Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), the M-Tex landman, and Dale Bradley (James Jordan), their petroleum engineer. In later episodes, he also shares that space with Ainsley and Angela, Tommy’s teenage daughter and his ex-wife.
While Nathan is great at his job and understands the legal implications of any problem Tommy encounters, he’s shown as a bit of a grumpy old man who can’t seem to focus around Tommy’s teenage daughter. Nathan clearly doesn’t have ill intentions, but his character seems reduced to that in situations that are meant to evoke comic relief. With his skills and knowledge, though, Monty and Tommy are able to lean on Nathan; hopefully, his character will get a lot more chances to show off his lawyering skills and be a more extended part of the main cast in this real-life-inspired drama.
8
Ainsley Norris
Played by Michelle Randolph
27-year-old Michelle Randolph portrays 17-year-old Ainsley Norris, the daughter of M-Tex landman Tommy. She comes to visit and ends up staying with him for the rest of the season, when she’s also joined by her mother, Angela (Ali Larter). Ainsley is emotional and sweet, but her character is often depicted as a little too brash and unaware of who she’s talking to; whether it’s Randolph’s portrayal or the writing of her character, fans almost universally agree that Ainsley isn’t a typical 17-year-old, especially when making inappropriate comments to her dad.
On the other hand, the dynamic between Ainsley and Tommy is largely due to her mom, Angela, and her freedom of expression. Ainsley is taught to be unapologetically herself and isn’t ashamed of pretty normal, everyday things. She will surely impact the relationship between Angela and Tommy, but it seems her personality also flourishes when she’s close to her dad and around a healthier relationship dynamics. Michelle Randolph is a newcomer to watch, though her casting as Ainsley feels off since she doesn’t look seventeen – but that’s a common occurrence in Hollywood.
7
Angela Norris
Played by Ali Larter
It’s been a moment since Ali Larter was on everyone’s TV screens. She was on The Rookie during the 2019-2020 season, but most people know her from her iconic role in Heroes, way back in 2005. As a TV veteran, Ali Larter returns to Landman with a bang – she looks amazing and is a solid addition to the show as Tommy Norris’ ex-wife Angela. The two get back together during the events of season one, and she leaves her current husband Victor (often speculated to be Taylor Sheridan in an upcoming guest role) to be with Tommy again.
She and Tommy have two adult kids together, and there’s obviously a lot of love between them. However, Angela is brash and unapologetic, often indulging in hedonistic enjoyment – which may be exactly why Tommy loves her. Though she often picks a fight with Tommy, her intentions are pure, which can be seen when she organizes dinners that can get the whole family together at the table. While not perfect, Angela is a good way to break the seriousness of Landman and introduce a little more regular life events into the mix.
6
Monty Miller
Played by Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm has been dominating in the TV field (a little more than usual) lately, with shows like Fargo and The Morning Show; his appearance in Landman marks a non-stop productive career. In this series, Hamm portrays the M-Tex boss, Monty Miller, who clearly shows what sort of consequences being a corporate boss carries. While Monty tries to be fair and compensate his workers fairly, he also doesn’t want to be swindled and tries to make decisions that he feels would be best for his company.
In some ways, Monty is a lot more human than other similar characters (corporate bosses). While the rest may be shown as cold and emotionless CEOs, Monty cares about his work, family, and employees, but experiences health problems throughout all ten Landman episodes because of that. After surviving a heart attack, he admits to having had around seven before that one. Though Monty, sadly, dies at the end of the season, he’s one of the more likable characters in the main cast of Landman.
5
Ariana Medina
Played by Paulina Chávez
Paulina Chávez plays Ariana Medina, whose first appearance signaled she’ll definitely be back in later episodes, and in a bigger role. Indeed, Ariana appears in almost every episode after the first, when her partner and the father of her newborn die in an oil rig accident. Ariana is surrounded by a supportive family at her partner’s wake, but is completely alone with her newborn later. She defies the patriarchal restraints that society and her community’s customs place on her, fighting and arguing without bowing down for the sake of someone else.
Ariana and Tommy’s son, Cooper, develop a relationship when Cooper, feeling guilty about being the only survivor in the oil rig accident, visits her to offer condolences. He also offers to mow her lawn and do her finances for her since she lost the partner who’d usually do those kinds of things. Ariana and Cooper bond through guilt, pain, and difficulties; she accepts Cooper in moments when no one does, and feels seen by him through his acts of service.
4
Dale Bradley
Played by James Jordan
James Jordan is one of the actors that starred in nearly every Taylor Sheridan project, but his role as Dale Bradley in Landman is the most memorable. He lives with Nathan and Tommy in the same house and provides some comic relief for the show with his antics; Dale eats baked beans out of a can for breakfast, has some beers with them, and goes his merry way to work as a petroleum technician. Dale’s great at what he does, but he doesn’t take care of himself (or his private life) that much.
Out of all the Landman characters, Dale is the most relatable because of how much he just needs a break, as well as for his lazy habits and hacks that people could recognize themselves in. He also represents an easygoing personality with exceptional work skills, and gives blue-collar workers an image to be happy about. And though he does get punched by Ainsley (by accident), Dale doesn’t hold grudges and seems fun to be around.
3
Cooper Norris
Played by Jacob Lofland
Cooper (Jacob Lofland) is Tommy’s son, and someone who wants to earn his keep in the oil industry. He dropped out of tech college where he was also part of a wrestling team, but he’s intelligent and has great ideas on how to become a landman like his dad. While M-Tex is his initial employer, and he makes sure to start from the lowest position, he gets into their bad will by angering Monty over the money Ariana and the other widows deserve. He quits his job at M-Tex and begins his own quest of investing in oil rigs.
Cooper may look incapable – he’s skinny and kind of lanky – but he’s physically very agile and quick on his feet. On the oil rig, he seems lost and confused, but his business mindset allows him to think fast in other situations. Understanding that becoming a landman requires knowing everything about the rigs, Cooper doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. As such, he’s one of the most likable and even relatable characters in Landman, and there’s high hopes for him in later seasons.
2
Rebecca Falcone
Played by Kayla Wallace
Sure, Rebecca Falcone is ruthless and has only the company’s best interests in mind, but that’s what makes her so cool. Every company would be happy to have a lawyer like her on their side – she’s fresh and uncorrupt by the loopholes and demands of various political players; she knows the law like the back of her hand and doesn’t allow concessions when it comes to her company. Though she is ready to sacrifice both Tommy and Cooper for the sake of M-Tex, Rebecca is an invaluable ally for anyone in Landman.
Played by Kayla Wallace, who brings flair and an unapologetic style, Rebecca dominates most episodes she’s in and is generally a polarizing character. People either love her for her fierce and direct attitude, or they don’t. Women could potentially find Rebecca more relatable, which is a great way to attract a female audience to Landman. Though Taylor Sheridan is well-versed at writing strong female characters, Rebecca may be the best one in Landman. One thing is certain – after the season finale, she’s no longer just a newcomer to everyone; she’s a force to be reckoned with.
1
Tommy Norris
Played by Billy Bob Thornton
Landman wouldn’t be half as popular without its lead, Billy Bob Thornton, who brings an incomparable charisma to all of his characters. His role as the lead, Tommy Norris, in Landman might just be his magnum opus, because he gets to bring all sides of his acting skills to the table. He cracks sarcastic jokes with great timing and delivery; he jumps into serious and angry parts just as easily, and can even sustain some physical knockdowns. This makes Tommy Norris a great example of a blue-collar worker, but also a man who’s always trying to tackle all aspects of his life.
It seems Tommy’s private life suffers the most, which is often the case with people who dedicate their life to work and doing their jobs in the best possible ways. Though fans are given a glimpse of Tommy’s private life coming back together after a long period of being alone – with his ex-wife Angela coming back and his daughter deciding to live with him – Tommy’s new position as the M-Tex president might make him even less emotionally available than before. In many ways, he’s similar to Monty, but here’s hoping he doesn’t experience the same fate.
