The Real Reason Jon Hamm Agreed To Join The Cast Of Landman

When Jon Hamm was offered the part of Monty Miller on “Landman,” he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with both Taylor Sheridan and Billy Bob Thornton. I mean, who wouldn’t jump on that chance? Sheridan has practically monopolized a huge chunk of television ever since his neo-Western cowboy drama, “Yellowstone,” blew up like nothing else. “Those are guys whose careers I’ve been really paying attention to,” Hamm told The Hollywood Reporter back in 2025. “They’re just working at the top of their game.”

There may be very few working actors today who wouldn’t want a piece of that Sheridan-sized pie that includes “Yellowstone,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Lioness,” and plenty of other shows. To be on one of those Paramount dramas that everybody’s watching and talking about is probably not something that comes around too often (unless you’re James Jordan, of course). “I knew the show was going to be good,” the actor added. “I didn’t know it was really going to spark in the culture the way it has, and that part of it is even better.”

For such a star as Hamm, who has an incredibly busy schedule filled with both film and television gigs, that meant only joining “Landman” for a single season. “My other commitments don’t really allow me to be a series regular on another show,” he revealed. “[But] I’m very happy that they asked me to do this.” As a savvy oil magnate and employer of Thornton’s titular landman, Hamm did a solid job. If only he had been around longer.

At the end of the first season, Hamm’s character was killed off, so he wasn’t able to make it back for Season 2. Instead, the sophomore outing brought in acting legend Sam Elliott to fill the void. While Hamm was certainly missed, Elliott brought his A-game.

Having already worked with Sheridan on his epic Western miniseries “1883” (one of the best Western shows of all time), Elliott was an inspired choice to join the West Texas-based oil drama. In the second season, he played the father of Thornton’s character, Tommy Norris, which doesn’t make too much sense on paper given that there is only an 11-year difference between them. Nevertheless, he lived up to expectations.

Although “Landman” is a very different show than “1883” with a significantly differing tone altogether, there is no doubt that Elliott is a pitch-perfect addition and a worthy replacement for Jon Hamm who can only make the show better. Now that “Landman” has been renewed for a third season, we can’t wait to see more of him.