Entertainment
Taylor Sheridan Faces Pushback From ‘Landman’ Stars Ahead of Season 3
If you’ve ever watched Landman and thought, “Why do Ainsley and Cooper hate each other this much?” — congrats, you’re officially aligned with the cast. Turns out, Michelle Randolph and Jacob Lofland are just as confused as the audience about their characters’ constant sibling warfare. And yes, they’ve gone straight to the source for answers. Speaking on Today on February 10, Randolph admitted she gets asked about the animosity all the time — and she doesn’t have a concrete explanation.
“And we don’t know [why they hate each other]. We’ve both called Taylor Sheridan and been like, ‘Can you give us something to work off of?’ It’s really hard to hate each other, cause he’s one of my great friends.”
On screen, Ainsley and Cooper Norris are constantly at each other’s throats. Their arguments feel personal, angry, and at times explosive. Off screen? Total opposite vibe. Ahead of Season 2, Lofland echoed Randolph’s comments about their dynamic, saying:
“As soon as we met, we got along. We’re best friends. We love each other.”
Which honestly makes their on-screen tension even more impressive. For now, Randolph says her working theory is that the siblings function as narrative opposites. “They are mirrors for one another,” she explained. “They each stand for everything the other person opposes. So it’s fun. I don’t have that dynamic in my real life, so I get all my anger out at Cooper.” That “mirror” idea actually tracks with Sheridan’s writing style — characters who embody opposing philosophies and force each other (and the audience) to react.
Taylor Sheridan Is a ‘Provocateur’
Randolph, who previously worked with Sheridan on 1923, has made it clear she trusts his vision — even when she doesn’t fully understand it. “Honestly, Taylor Sheridan takes chances on actors, and he’s one of the few people I feel like in the industry who really does that and has given us this opportunity, and I just am eternally grateful for him,” she said in 2025. “He made my dreams come true. I tell him that every time I see him,” she admitted, before joking about his reaction. “He’s like, ‘Michelle, stop. I get it.’ I’m like, ‘Thank you.’ But he really did give us something.”
Meanwhile, Ali Larter, who plays Angela Norris, has described Sheridan as a “provocateur” in how he builds his worlds. “He loves to write characters that make people respond, that initiate a reaction, a feeling,” she said. “And I think that what’s incredible about our show, and a lot of the shows that Taylor makes, is that they’re all wildly original and authentic to themselves.” She added, “It’s incredible how Taylor made oil fascinating. This is why he’s such a genius — you would never know on paper that this show would be so riveting or so many people would love it.”
Landman is streaming now on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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November 17, 2024
- Network
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Paramount
- Franchise(s)
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Yellowstone