American actor Sam Elliott, 81, recently discussed how his Landman character T.L. Norris’ struggles with aging and physical decline mirror his own life.
In an interview with Variety, Elliott said, “The truth of it is, [that scene] is very true to where I am at this point in my life physically.”
He added, “Not mentally, but physically. I’ve had a hard life. I’ve been an athlete all my life, and I’ve been a laborer all my life, and I’m paying for it now.”
A heart-wrenching scene from January 4, 2026, saw Norris trapped in a swimming pool after realizing he did not have the strength to pull himself out on his own. He told Tommy, “With my knees and my hip, I can’t f*** stand right now,” prompting Tommy to help him out of the pool.
This scene strengthened their father-son relationship as Tommy pushed his father towards physical therapy.