He didn’t want to be too cocky.
The co-creator of “Landman” opened up about the Season 2 episode that had Billy Bob Thorton’s character, Tommy Norris, waking up in a hotel room with an erection.
Christian Wallace revealed to the The Hollywood Reporter on Monday that “it wasn’t an actual full-frontal” scene.
Instead, Thorton, 70, used a prosthetic.
“We had an on-set intimacy coordinator, and the original prosthetic she brought in made everyone laugh,” Wallace continued. “We were like, ‘No.’”
Thorton went for “a more humble alternative” instead.
“It is surprising to me that people think that was actually Billy doing full-frontal nudity,” Wallace teased. “So I should say props to our intimacy coordinator for making it extremely realistic, and to the props team. They had a whole rig, as Billy called it: ‘Got my rig on.’”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Thorton shared his theory as to why Taylor Sheridan, who created the show alongside Wallace, isn’t being recognized at award shows.
“I think a lot of it’s political. I really do,” he told Variety. “I think some people assume Taylor is some sort of right-wing guy or something, and he’s really not.”
Along with “Landman,” Sheridan, 55, created other Paramount+ hits, including “Yellowstone” and its prequels “1883” and “1923,” and “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King” and “Lioness.”
However, during its five-season run, “Yellowstone” only earned one Emmy nomination for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program in 2021.
Thorton thinks award shows voters might have the wrong idea.
“Even with this show being about the oil business, he just shows you what it’s like. He’s not saying ‘Rah, rah, rah for oil,’ ” the Oscar winner detailed. “It’s just the people who work in this business or who are affected by this business, the people on the periphery and within the families in the business; this is what happens.”
“These are the kinds of problems and joys and triumphs and whatever happens in this world,” Thornton added. “It’s a world of gambling, and you never know what’s going to happen. But I think people got the wrong idea about that.”
He shared that “acting is not a sport.”
“If you run the 100-meter dash in the Olympics and you break the tape first, you win. There’s no question about it. Everybody saw it,” Thorton compared. “How do you say in the artistic world who won? It’s an intangible thing. Then people say, ‘Well, any one of the nominees besides me could have won this. They’re all wonderful actors.’ Not only them, some other actors in the audience who weren’t nominated, some other ones who aren’t even at the show, some other ones who aren’t even known by people have done an amazing job.”
For the star, his philosophy is that “if you put your heart and soul into something you love, and you’re satisfied with your work, and it works in the thing, there’s the award.”
“I look at it that way. I’m too damn old now to worry about stuff like that. I got enough awards. I’m good. I’m sure the people that I work for or work with me don’t like to hear that. But I guess when I said I’m too damn old, I guess I’m too damn old to not tell the truth.”
One day prior, Thorton set the record straight on rumors that he may be departing the show after Season 2.
Those reports are “AI-generated crap,” he promised USA Today.
The show recently wrapped Season 2 on Jan. 18. The season finale saw Thorton’s character get fired from his job as president of M-Tex Oil by the owner, Cami Miller (Demi Moore).
“There’s an AI report that Demi and I are a couple now, and there’s one that I’m leaving the show,” the “Bad Santa” actor continued.
“They have nothing to do with reality.”
The hit series also stars Ali Larter, Andy Garcia, Michelle Randolph and Sam Elliott.
“Landman” has already been renewed for a Season 3, Sheridan exiting Paramount for NBC Universal, and begins shooting in the spring.
“I’ll be there,” Thornton told USA Today.
“It’s been great working with Sam. And I love doing the show,” he gushed. “I’ll be here as long as it plays out. If it’s five years, great. If it’s six, I’m there.”
