Before Landman became one of Paramount+'s biggest original series, Taylor Sheridan faced an unexpected challenge behind the scenes. Despite the show's acclaimed creator (best known for the hit Western drama Yellowstone) and compelling premise centered on the high-stakes world of West Texas oil, one key actor wasn't immediately convinced.While promoting his new book How Not to Die in Prison: A Survival Guide on The Howard Stern Show, Taylor Sheridan revealed that he had to convince Sam Elliott (who had previously collaborated with him on 1883) to join Landman as Tommy Norris' (Billy Bob Thornton) father.It took Sheridan's personal pitch and vision for TL Norris to change Elliott's mind, ultimately bringing another standout performer into the ensemble that helped make Landman a breakout success.Here's why Sam Elliott was not keen on joining the hit Paramount+ series.Why was Sam Elliott hesitant to join Landman?While Sam Elliott had previously collaborated with Taylor Sheridan in 1883, the veteran actor is not a fan of his most celebrated work, ie, Yellowstone. As Sheridan revealed on The Howard Stern Show, the Lifeguard star had to be convinced before he agreed to play Thomas "T. L." Norris in Landman Season 2.When Elliott said that he doesn't 'like that Yellowstone' as it is a 'cowboy soap opera', Sheridan replied:“I said, ‘You’re right. I’m not asking you to be on that. That’s the punk rock me throwing middle fingers at the industry and a lot of other sh*t. This is going to be the grown-up me. I have a story I want to tell. Here’s the story, and here’s the arc of your character.''Naturally, Sam Elliott was wooed by Taylor Sheridan's impressive vision for his character in Landman and agreed to come on board as Tommy's father.While the premiere season of Sheridan's drama series put Tommy through the wringer (as he dealt with the roughnecks and wildcat billionaires of the oil business), the sophomore season increased the stakes with the arrival of Sam Elliott's character. The estranged and wheelchair-bound father of Tommy was mourning the sudden death of his wife when he was introduced in Landman Season 2, sending shockwaves through the Norris family's fraught relationships and the West Texas oil world.For a star like Billy Bob Thornton, Sam Elliott was the perfect choice to play Tommy's father, which is why Taylor Sheridan was hell-bent on convincing the veteran star and eventually impressed him with his writing.Latest news on Landman Season 3 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTaylor Sheridan's hit drama series has been renewed for another season. While Paramount+ has yet to reveal the plot details about the upcoming season, it will reportedly begin filming in August.Billy Bob Thornton will naturally return as the titular Tommy Norris, who was out of a job after Cami Miller fired him as president of M-Tex because of their fundamentally different approaches to business. Other stars expected to return in Landman Season 3 are Demi Moore as Cami Miller, Jacob Lofland as Cooper Norris, Ali Larter as Angela Norris, Michelle Randolph as Ainsley Norris, Paulina Chavez as Ariana Medina, Andy Garcia as Danny "Gallino" Morrell, and Sam Elliott as Thomas "T. L." Norris.The third season will naturally pick up from Season 2's cliffhanger, which saw Tommy venture into his own oil business, CTT Oil Exploration & Cattle, after getting fired from his job. However, this new venture came with its own set of problems as it was funded by none other than dr*g kingpin Gallino.Gallino warned Tommy that failure of his enterprise would lead to harrowing consequences for his family, setting up high-stakes tension as the series heads into its third season.You can catch all previous episodes and seasons on Paramount+.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.