Ali Larter’s loyalty to Taylor Sheridan might seem admirable on the surface, but after what went down with Kelly Reilly on Yellowstone, it does raise eyebrows. However, Larter brushed off criticism, saying it “doesn’t bother” her, but fans aren’t convinced that kind of blind faith is wise. Sheridan’s track record with female characters has been rocky, and Reilly’s messy fate as Beth Dutton only deepened the concerns.
With Larter jumping into Landman under his creative direction, viewers are wondering if she’s next in line for a character arc that fizzles out or, worse, gets steamrolled by Sheridan’s macho storytelling priorities.
Ali Larter’s loud Landman role was intentional, but Taylor Sheridan’s female arcs still raise eyebrows
Ali Larter isn’t sweating the backlash. Her loud, glam, high-octane take on Angela Norris in Landman had some critics calling for a tone-down, but she’s sticking to the script. Why? Because it’s Taylor Sheridan’s script. And in her words (via Collider):
She wants to be flashy in a bikini and be all hot, and then you see her crumbling trying to keep her family together… It’s very multi-dimensional, and that’s why it doesn’t bother me.
That kind of ride-or-die loyalty might seem admirable, but after Kelly Reilly’s fate in Yellowstone, fans are side-eyeing Sheridan’s ability to balance female arcs with nuance.
Beth Dutton’s journey went from layered and brutal to, well, brutally sidelined. Yet Larter isn’t concerned. She believes the early noise is just part of the game and says she’s focused on staying committed to the role, not the press.
Angela was the Sicario writer’s chaos from day one. Larter revealed that her character was always meant to be bold, wild, and emotionally charged, like a storm tearing through the room.
That opening FaceTime drama was totally planned. Flashy outfits and loud energy were exactly what Sheridan wanted. But beneath all the flash, she argues, there’s real depth. Angela’s glamorous front is balanced by a woman desperately trying to hold her family together.
Still, there’s a fine line between unapologetically bold and one-dimensional. Larter feels that her dynamic with Billy Bob Thornton helped anchor Angela emotionally, giving the character a richer, more colorful arc.
Season 2 of Landman is currently being filmed in Fort Worth, Texas. And while Larter’s not backing down, viewers are watching closely, hoping Angela doesn’t go from “tornado” to just another storm that fizzles out.
Ali Larter and Billy Bob Thornton say love (messy and real) is what keeps Landman’s wildest couple together
Ali Larter and Billy Bob Thornton say there’s one reason their Landman characters survive the chaos: love. “I love you,” Thornton quipped on stage at Newport Beach TV Fest, summing up the heart of Tommy and Angela’s rollercoaster bond (per Screenrant).
In Landman, Angela storms back into Tommy’s life to fix their fractured family, and maybe their marriage. Larter said having all ten scripts upfront helped them chart the emotional wreckage. Their prep? No repeated beats. No stale drama. Just two actors digging deep into real-life emotions and chemistry.
Even when Angela’s causing a scene or Tommy’s emotionally checked out, there’s always a spark. That messy, honest dynamic works. Larter and Thornton make sure every fight, every flirtation, still circles back to one truth: they get each other. Love, even in Taylor Sheridan’s gritty oil-soaked world, is still king.
Landman is available to watch on Paramount Plus & Apple TV.
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