A Night with the Landman Panel at the TV Academy

Photo courtesy of Paramount+

I walked into this Landman FYC screening with one thing on my mind: what we see on screen is only half the story.

As a voting member of the Television Academy, I am invited to FYC screenings hosted in partnership with studios, streamers, and networks. As co-Lead of the Academy’s first Latinidad Affinity Group, I am passionate about sharing which shows are getting representation right, and which ones still have work to do. My goal is to highlight talent, in front of and behind the camera, that is elevating our community and our industry.

Beyond that, as an executive producer who develops and curates content, I am always fascinated by how casts and crews work alongside each other. How they respect each other. How they collaborate. Because that is where the real magic happens.

So when Paramount+ invited me to the Landman FYC screening, I went.

Now, I had hoped to hear from Andy Garcia that evening. A fellow Miamian, one of our great actors, and someone I deeply respect. This time he was not there. But let’s talk about his character. Gallino is, yes, connected to the cartel world. And I will be honest: as someone who advocates for authentic Latino representation, I notice those roles. I notice them every time. But I will also say this: the oil industry in West Texas is not exactly a choir of angels. Power, money, convenience, and moral ambiguity run through every character in this show, Latino or not. And from what I have seen, Andy Garcia plays Gallino with the kind of quiet, controlled authority that elevates the role far beyond stereotype. Hopefully the writers don’t keep him in a stereotypical role. What I’ve seen, I like. Andy Garcia plays a man who makes everyone in the room slow down and measure their words. That is not a small role. That is a master actor doing what only a master actor can do.

The question, and the opportunity, is whether the series will continue to evolve Gallino into something we haven’t quite seen before.

Which brings me to another layer of the Latino presence in the show: Paulina Chávez’s character: Ariana, who lives in a very different reality, young, a mother, working-class, navigating survival in her own way. Paulina had described her character as a “powerhouse” representing resilience, drawing inspiration from her own family to portray the strength of Latina women. In the second season her role begins to evolve, within the business side of the story.

I’ll be watching the development of these two characters.

Photo courtesy of Paramount+

Paulina was there alongside Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, and Sam Elliott. The show itself is compelling. ‘Landman’ follows Tommy Norris, a fixer in the West Texas oil industry navigating power, family, and moral ambiguity. It was renewed for a third season, and watching this cast talk about their work, you understand why.

But one of the best parts of the evening? Every single one of them spent their time talking about the people behind the camera.

On Director Stephen Kay:

Jacob Lofland set the tone saying that “He’s so free and open to anything you want to try…You feel so open and free to do whatever, and whatever notes he gives only helps. It’s a blast working with him, one of the favorite directors I think I’ve had the privilege of working with.”

Michelle Randolph added: “He never lets you have an inauthentic moment on camera. He’s a perfectionist, but not in the way where he’ll never move on from a scene. He lets you play. When you feel supported and comfortable and encouraged to try something new, that’s when you really get something magic...”

Ali Larter brought it home: “He has extraordinary taste. He elevates Taylor’s writing. That combination of Taylor and Steven is what makes our show really lift to the next level.” Then she turned to her co-star and said: “Billy, you have to talk about Stephen. You do.”

So, Billy Bob Thornton didn’t hold back: “…Such a genuine human being. To be a good director you have to have that. He listens to everyone. If you have an idea, he’s open to it. He actually wants it to be the best it can be. And probably the best sense of humor of any director I ever worked with in my lifetime…He’s a wonderful… director and a big part of the show.”

On Writer Taylor Sheridan:

Demi Moore spoke with quiet authority: “You go into this trusting Taylor. He’s going to tell the story. But he also knows who he’s casting for each role, and he gives you the dignity of your process of bringing what you feel is going to make it the most alive. That’s where we have the latitude to bring the nuances and the life to it.”

A note worth mentioning: Taylor Sheridan, the creator behind Landman, recently announced a major move to NBCUniversal, reportedly citing creative differences with Paramount’s new leadership following the merger. His TV agreement with NBC does not begin for a couple more years, so Landman remains in good hands for now. As someone who develops and produces content, I also pay attention to that. Because what happens behind the scenes doesn’t stay there, it shows up on screen. So, the industry is watching.

On the Latino thread, Paulina Chávez said:

“Ariana is a very specific character and her storyline is very delicate. I wanted to make sure that Taylor’s vision was there, but also, I am Latina and I was able to bring in my two cents with it. He was always a phone call away. It’s just trusting yourself, trusting what’s written, and trusting the people around you.”

That. Right there. A Latina actress in the room, at the table, contributing her cultural perspective to the writing process. That is what makes any project meaningful.

Photo by Rossy E. Eguigure / Landman FYC Panel, Television Academy, April 16, 2026

And then Billy closed the evening with something nobody expected:

“The people who aren’t mentioned a lot of times are the people behind the scenes, the crew, the people in the offices. I have done 1.2 billion movies in my career, which by the way is a record, you can look it up, and my first movie was in the 30s with Paul Muni. But I have to say, in all my years, I have never worked with a crew as good as the crew we have on Landman. Ever. From the top to the people who bring you a sandwich. Lovely people. You can’t find a bad apple in the bunch.”

The room laughed. And then it got a little quiet. Because he meant every word...well, not the billion movies, of course…

That is the kind of set culture that produces great television. As a development executive, I am always building toward that: stories told with intention, casts that bring their full selves, crews that feel seen. Because when everyone in the room is valued and respected, what ends up on screen reflects reality as it actually is.

And that, to me, is the takeaway.

If you care about the evolution of the media industry, I’ll keep sharing what I see from the inside, not only from the room, but through the lens of media psychology: how audiences engage, interpret, and ultimately decide what stories survive.