‘Landman’ star Billy Bob Thornton says working people relate to the struggles the characters face

Article excerpt

Billy Bob Thornton credits the success of his Paramount+ series "Landman" to its unflinching portrayal of working-class struggle. The show, which follows oil workers navigating financial precarity, emotional turbulence, and physical danger, resonates with audiences because it doesn't sanitize their lives, Thornton explained. He points to the mix of drama, humor, and absurdity, the texture of how people actually live, as the draw. The actor sees the characters' hardships as universally recognizable, a mirror that working people across industries can see themselves in.