Director and writer Taylor Sheridan expanded his collection of acclaimed series with the release of Landman on Paramount+. The creator of Tulsa King, Yellowstone, and the record-breaking Special Ops: Lioness has crafted the latest show by taking inspiration from a real-life oil boom along with co-creator Christian Wallace.
Set in the West Texas oil industry, the premier of Landman gained more than five million viewers and continues to inject curiosity among fans. The series centered around Billy Bob Thornton's divorced and alcoholic character named Tommy Norris, who's also a middleman in the dangerous oil industry.
While Tommy Norris has helmed the leading role, other characters, including his ex-wife and daughter, have also caught viewers' attention. Norris' 17-year-old daughter Ainsley, played by actress Michelle Randolph, is no exception.
The actress has also played a role in Sheridan's Yellowstone prequel series, and this marks her another project with the director. However, unlike her role in 1923, Randolph is seen playing a free-spirited and often chaotic teenager in Landman, whose storyline has become quite controversial among viewers.
Exploring the story arc of Tommy's daughter in the Landman TV series
Actress Michelle Randolph has joined Landman as one of the crucial figures in Tommy Norris' life—Ainsley, his only daughter with whom the middleman shares a strained father-daughter relationship. Ainsley's storyline in the series has faced notable backlash from viewers as they found some of her scenes uncomfortable.
As mentioned above, Ainsley is a free-spirited and carefree teenager, who has become the center of the controversy surrounding the TV series. There have been scenes like in the first episode, an unsettling moment took place between Ainsley and her father during a football game.
Tommy asked Ainsley about her sex life, which many found inappropriate and unnecessary for a father-daughter conversation. Ainsley responded with overly explicit detail, and the conversation ended with Tommy's bizarre reaction saying, “I’m gonna go get a Dr. Pepper". The scene has gone viral among viewers as they criticize the show.
In another scene, Ainsley is walking in a swimsuit, attracting the unwelcome attention of Tommy’s older friends, which has gain upset many viewers due to the over-sexualization of a minor character. Though Randolph's character adds depth to Thornton's Tommy Norris, her controversial scenes have raised questions about the character's necessity and impact on the overall narrative.
What did Michelle Randolph say about playing Ainsley Norris in Landman?
Through his strained relationship with Ainsley, viewers are offered a glimpse into Tommy Norris' flaws and how his professional life has affected his family dynamics. Being a crucial figure in Landman, Ainsley's storyline is expected to take a meaningful turn.
While talking about her character through LRM Online, Michelle Randolph described Ainsley as a "refreshing" character who helped the actress discover her own personality. The actress said:
"She's this wild seventeen-year-old and to step into that, it helped me just like embrace myself more and I found it really refreshing... It's fun to see her throughout this season go on this journey of learning how her parents are flawed people as well."
Randolph explained how Ainsley will gradually understand the flaws in her parents and realize that everyone around her has a flaw. The teenager's mother and the ex-wife of Tommy Norris, who's mostly seen in revealing clothes, is back in town and is seen trying to get back with Tommy. Her arrival will also play a significant role in shaping Ainsley's story arc.
As new episodes of Landman come out, viewers will get a deep dive into Ainsley's life. The teenager isn't concerned about the dangerous oil industry her father is working in, but with time Ainsley is expected to understand her father and improve their relationship.
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