Jacob Lofland Talks Landman Father-Son Moment With Billy Bob Thornton

The second episode of Landman season 2 featured a father-son moment between characters Tommy and Cooper Norris — but the scene was also special for actors Billy Bob Thornton and Jacob Lofland.

“I think it’s really important to have it,” Lofland, 29, told Us Weekly exclusively while discussing the episode. “We’ve been talking about the father-son relationship all morning, but that’s one of those moments where you actually do get to be genuine.”

Lofland explained that it’s “usually business” talk between his character, Cooper, and Thornton’s Tommy, but this scene offered another layer of their relationship.

“Me and Billy both pulled [from] our experiences in life for that moment,” Lofland continued. “It meant a lot to both of us to be able to transfer that to screen.”

The Sunday, November 23, episode, titled “Sins of the Father,” featured Tommy taking his son, Cooper, to see his grandfather TL (Sam Elliott). The three generations of Norris men have quite the interaction, which leads to a heart-to-heart between Tommy and Cooper in the car.

“You know, it’s probably best that I only had you ever on the weekend. I wasn’t raised to father a son,” Tommy begins. “All your grandfather did was work himself into being a cripple out on the rigs. Come home and get drunk enough to deal with my damn coked-out tornado of a mother. And then come in my room and try to beat his failures all out of me.”

Cooper told Tommy that he “broke” the cycle in their family. “I love you, Dad,” he added. “You did your best, and your best is good enough for me.”

Both men get noticeably choked up but don’t discuss the topic any further.

Elliott, 81, joined the Paramount+ series’ cast as Tommy’s father for the second season.

Not much has been seen from the rough retired oilman just yet, but it seems there’s a lot to come as the Norris family continues to reunite onscreen.

“He is, genuinely, the sweetest man. I was so lucky to be working with him,” Michelle Randolph, who plays Tommy’s daughter, Ainsley, told Us. “It’s fun for Ainsley to learn more about her dad, because he is such a mystery to her in so many ways. I think this season, [TL] coming into the family gives her a little more insight [into] why he is the way that he is.”

Elliott didn’t necessarily give any of his young costars advice on set, but they couldn’t help but watch him work.

“It’s what they prove [when] they show up. You get to witness that and go, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ That’s where the teaching comes from,” Lofland explained. “I think it’s the best teaching you can get.”

Randolph said working with Elliott, along with Thornton, Demi Moore (Cami Miller) and Ali Larter (Angela Norris) “emboldens” her as an actor.

“I don’t think that any of them believe how incredible they are. They’re so humble,” she explained. “They’ve been in this business for so long, and they just give you confidence in yourself, which is what you need to go do a performance when you’re working against a legend that you’ve watched your whole life. That’s why they are so good.”

New episodes of Landman season 2 premiere via Paramount+ every Sunday.