Billy Bob Thornton’s gruff, wisecracking turn as fixer Tommy Norris in “Landman” didn’t come out of nowhere — according to creator Taylor Sheridan, it was modeled directly on one of Thornton’s most famous roles.

Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Sheridan explained that when he approached Thornton about starring in the Paramount+ oil drama, he described the character in blunt, high-concept terms: essentially a version of Thornton’s foul-mouthed “Bad Santa” character running an oil company. The comparison apparently didn’t need much elaboration — Thornton was reportedly on board almost immediately. Deadline

It’s a fitting reference point. Thornton’s 2003 role as scam artist Willie T. Soke in “Bad Santa” and his “Landman” character Tommy Norris share a similar DNA: both are sarcastic, worn-down, and quick with a cutting remark, even if Tommy trades department-store heists for the far more dangerous business of running an oil operation caught up in cartel conflict, family drama, and corporate infighting in West Texas.

Thornton has told other outlets that Sheridan built the show’s voice specifically around him, writing it almost like it was tailor-made for the way Thornton talks and carries himself.

Sheridan also gave more detail on how “Landman” originated. While the series draws from the “Boomtown” podcast — created by Christian Wallace, who came aboard as a co-creator — the real spark reportedly came from a personal phone call. After seeing news coverage of a shooting in Odessa, Texas, Sheridan checked in on a friend who worked in the oil fields there. Rather than being alarmed, the friend brushed it off as fairly normal for the area and began sharing stories about life and violence in “The Patch” — the oil-field slang for the region — which is what ultimately planted the idea for the show.

Thornton, for his part, has said he was genuinely surprised by how far the show’s popularity has traveled, expecting it to resonate mainly in the middle of the U.S. rather than becoming an international hit with audiences well beyond American borders.