Ali Larter Discusses High-Pressure TV Set Experience and Strong Cast Bonds

LOS ANGELES, CA — Ali Larter shared her experience on the intense set of Paramount+’s series Landman, which began production in 2024. Playing Angela Norris, a tough ex-wife in a high-stakes oil drama, Larter, 49, recalled the pressure the cast felt from day one.

“You kind of were thrown into the fire into a very high-pressure, high-octane set,” Larter told PEOPLE. The actress credits her co-star Michelle Randolph, 28, who portrays her daughter Ainsley, for helping her through these challenges. “It was really amazing that we had each other to lean on, and so I think that really formed this bond between us,” she said.

Larter emphasized the absence of encouragement during their first season. “We spent a lot of time together, the first season when there wasn’t handholding. There wasn’t, ‘You’re doing a great job.'” She praised the series creator Taylor Sheridan, 55, for his exceptional ability to cast actors who connect well. “I don’t know how he knows who’s going to get along; it just works,” she commented.

She described Randolph as “an amazing person” and a talented actress. Their friendship grew against a backdrop of criticism regarding their characters’ story arcs, which Larter defended. She stated, “What’s incredible about our show is that they’re all wildly original and authentic to themselves.”

Larter also praised co-star Billy Bob Thornton, stating, “He brings out the best in me. In our world, when we’re working together, there’s just never an inauthentic beat, and that is incredible. I love him so much.”

New episodes of Landman premiere every Sunday on Paramount+.