Billy Bob Thornton’s character takes a bit of a beating in the finale of Season 1 of Taylor Sheridan’sLandman. However, that is nothing compared to the broken bones he sustained while working on Steven Seagal’sOn Deadly Ground– and he didn’t even get it from being beaten up by the Hollywood tough guy.
Thornton has recently landed himself a new hit role asTommy Norris in Paramount+ seriesLandman, and while discussing a wide range of subjects withThe Guardian, he shared a particularly brutal tale of a stunt that went wrong when working on Seagal’s 1994 action blockbuster. According to Thornton, it all happened when his then-agent wanted to turn him into an action star. He said:
“When I first signed up with an agent, there was an idea he was to turn me into an action star. So I played some dumbass who was there to be killed by Seagal. One scene, they put me on a horse on top of a mountain. I grew up riding horses, but I’m no Roy Rogers or Lash LaRue. It’s me and seven stunt guys chasing Seagal through the woods. It was a wide shot which they were shooting from another mountain. You wouldn’t know who I was; I could have been in Bozo the clown makeup.
I made it down the hill for three takes so I was like, “Sh-t, I am Roy Rogers.” Then on the fourth take, the last thing I remember, my right hand was on the saddle horn. Then my feet were straight in the air and I woke up with dirt all over my face and in my mouth. I couldn’t breathe or feel the right side of my body.”
The incident brought with it some serious injuries for Thornton, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t see some humor in one aspect of the accident. He added:
“I had broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a severely bruised pelvis and a concussion. They put me in a hotel room for a few days with some Vicodin and a cooler full of grocery store sandwiches and Gatorade, and then a PA would come check on me every couple of days. It was called On Deadly Ground. I was like, ‘No sh-t.’”
Billy Bob Thornton Is Now Part of Taylor Sheridan’s Universe
Landmanhas been an incredible success on Paramount+, landing another money-spinner for creator Taylor Sheridan and securing Thornton what could be a long-running role. While Season 2 ofLandmanhas yet to be confirmed, it would be hugely surprising if the show does not return considering it has been sitting at the top of the Paramount+ chart almost constantly since the first episode of the series debuted in mid-November.
Landman Star Billy Bob Thornton Talks Going from 1883 to Taylor Sheridan’s New Show
Billy Bob Thornton talks 1883, Taylor Sheridan, and how much he loves his foul-mouthed and surprisingly funny character in the new show, Landman.
However, it seems that one person who is just as in the dark about the future of the show is Thornton. Speaking toDeadlineafter the Season 1 finale, he sharedhow little Sheridan has told him about the possible continuation of the series.
“Not really. Taylor keeps it pretty close to the vest until it’s time. Okay. And when he knows it’s time, he’ll let me know. And when he lets me know, he really lets me know the whole thing. It’s kind of like you want to get all the dust out of the corners before the family gets home when you’re cleaning the house. He really wants it to be where it’s supposed to be before any of us hear about it.”
