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Los Angeles Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
'Landman' Cast Reflects on the Show's Success and Season 2 Excitement
'Landman,' Paramount Plus' hit series about the high-stakes world of West Texas oil, has quickly become the platform's most-streamed show worldwide. In a recent Q&A on June 7 at the Culver Theater, the L.A. Times' Greg Braxton spoke with Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland and Andy Garcia about their thoughts on the show's success, their on-screen chemistry and what fans can look forward to in Season 2. Ali Larter reflected on the moment the show felt like a hit, saying, 'Nobody's phoning it in. Everyone is really committed to telling this story in a real and authentic way.' Jacob Lofland also added, 'It's still kind of surreal how big this has become.' Meanwhile, Billy Bob Thornton described the experience as working with a family, he said 'it's just fun when you're with a group of people who are really into it.' The television series was created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, which was inspired by the podcast 'Boomtown' hosted by Wallace. Andy Garcia praised Taylor Sheridan's writing style, explaining how it pushes boundaries by portraying raw and real conversations. 'He's a fearless writer,' Garcia said. Thornton added, 'Taylor doesn't take sides. He just shows the realities of the oil world and lets the characters be unapologetically themselves.' On-screen chemistry is a huge part of the show's appeal. Larter described her character's relationship as a 'beautiful, messy, complicated love story' that is filled with vulnerability beneath the tension. Lofland called the chemistry across the cast 'a lucky situation,' noting, 'Everyone just clicked right away.' Garcia, who joined the cast as a powerful cartel head, spoke about his debut scene with Thornton. 'It was intense, but there was also a subtlety to it. Billy Bob and I really found a rhythm, respecting each other's space and keeping it authentic,' Garcia said. Thornton praised Garcia's professionalism, saying, 'He's generous and knows how to bring depth without overdoing it.' The actors also shared how they approach their characters' emotional depth. Larter said, 'Angela's strength comes with a lot of vulnerability. Filming those intense scenes for long hours is challenging but rewarding.' Lofland added, 'A lot of the emotion is real. You're surrounded by these huge landscapes and the gravity of the story seeps in.' Looking ahead to season two, Garcia teased that his character has a surprising side, saying 'he runs a ballet studio as a front, which adds an interesting layer.' Thornton also hinted at more family drama and identity struggles, promising, 'Season two will dive deeper into these complicated relationships.' With authentic storytelling and powerful performances, 'Landman' continues to captivate audiences and set high expectations for what's next.
Associated Press
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
GROUNDBREAKING INDIE FILMMAKER MATTY RICH IS BACK, AND BEHIND THE LENS OF HIS NEW FILM SET TO PREMIERE AT PAFF
Groundbreaking indie filmmaker Matty Rich is back, and behind the lens of his new film, 'Birth of the Black Underworld,' set to premiere at PAFF 'It feels good to be back in the director's chair, bringing a film to life that's been burning inside of me for more than a decade!' — Matty Rich, director LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, February 10, 2025 / / -- Known for his gritty film content, pioneering, award-winning indie filmmaker Matty Rich has sparked excitement with his long-awaited return to filmmaking. His new film, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD, starring Frank Stallone, Jack Scalia, Rhonda Morman as well as Rich is an official selection of the 2025 Pan African Film Festival. The screening will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at the Culver Theater, located at 9500 Culver City, Calif. There will be a Q &A with Rich and the rest of the cast immediately following the screening. The 33rd Pan African Film Festival runs from February 4 through 17, 2025. For tickets to the screening, visit the festival's website at 'It feels good to be back in the director's chair, bringing a film to life that's been burning inside of me for more than a decade!' said Rich. 'For two years, we filmed BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD on the weekends. The cast and crew were incredible, and their love and confidence in the project made me determined to finished it.' Rich added, 'Even when there was no money, I continued writing, scheduling, praying and using my paychecks from teaching film school at AFI and Sundance to complete the project. And here we are … at the finish line!' ABOUT BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD | Feature Narrative | 120 minutes Movie Synopsis Written, directed and produced by Matty Rich, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD is a gripping drama and heartfelt love story, starring Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated artist and actor Frank Stallone as well as Rhonda Morman and legendary television heartthrob actor Jack Scalia, Thomas Copeland Jr. and Matty Rich. Set in the 1930s, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD takes viewers on a fascinating journey into the makings of the Black underworld and the evolving mindsets of a pack of young, would-be gangsters tied to the mafia. The group is led by Satterfield Jackson (Matty Rich), an orphan taken in by respected Italian mobster Marco Ricci (Frank Stallone), who has ties to both the Italian and Jewish mafias. Marco and Satterfield develop a father-son bond -- and like any father would do -- Ricci grooms Satterfield for the real world: The Underworld. ABOUT MATTY RICH | writer, director, producer Highly regarded as one of the pioneers of independent Black filmmaking, Matty Rich burst onto the Hollywood scene in 1991 as the 19-year-old writer, director, actor and producer of his award-winning film STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN. Rich was discovered by Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, PHILADELPHIA) during an editing session of the eventual Oscar-winning film, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Demme took Rich under his wing and STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN became a huge success after winning the Sundance Film Festival's coveted Grand Jury Prize Award. The indie film, distributed by Samuel Goldwin, earned critical acclaim and went on to sweep the awards season, picking up the Independent Spirit Award, NAACP Image Award, the Producers Guild Award and the Big Apple Award. Shortly thereafter, Rich was inducted into the Directors Guild of America (DGA) by African American Hollywood icons Sidney Poitier and Bill Duke. Rich also directed the summer hit and now cult classic, THE INKWELL, which along with STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN, are considered 'must see' classic, Black films. Rich's other credits include development of several television projects, including RED HOOK as writer and creator for Warner Brothers/Fox Network; a Tupac Shakur bio project for HBO, and SUBWAY SCHOLAR with Whitney Houston for Showtime Network -- just ,to name a few. Currently, Rich is a screenwriting faculty member at the American Film Institute (AFI) where he teaches screenplay writing and video game writing as well as serving as a cycle development mentor and thesis film mentor. In addition, he also serves as a writing and directing advisor for Sundance Film Festival Co//AB online platform. He also teaches virtual screenplay workshops in Africa – that is, Ghana and Kenya, respectively. #### Wyllisa R Bennett wrb public relations +1 310-266-9704
