Billy Bob Thornton takes on oil industry in new series, “Landman”: “I don’t take things that I’m not right for”

Oscar-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton joined “CBS Mornings” to discuss his new role in “Landman,” the latest Paramount Plus series from “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan. Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, a man tasked with managing land and people in the oil-rich landscapes of West Texas.

Thornton’s character works in the world of oil rigs, securing land and overseeing everyone from workers to billionaires who fuel the oil industry. The role was made with Thornton in mind since Sheridan wrote the role specifically for him. 

“He said, ‘I’m going to write it in your voice.’ So when I read the first script, sure enough, it’s like, yeah, if I were a landman, I think I’d try to be like that,” said Thornton.

Thornton said he prefers to stick to roles within his strengths. 

‘I don’t take things that I’m not right for,” Thornton said. “If I read something and it fits like a glove, then those are the things I do if I’m interested in the subject.”

When it comes to describing what a landman is, Thornton said that a landman is a middleman between the oil company owners and the workers in the fields. His job is to protect the workers while making sure they do their tasks to extract oil, because he needs to earn money for his employer.

“The show is really about how the people who work in and around the oil business are affected, how relationships are affected. It’s a dangerous business, and it’s a gamble also,” Thornton said.

“Landman” premieres Sunday, Nov. 17, exclusively on Paramount+.