Landman's Jacob Lofland Has Seriously Transformed

When Jacob Lofland was a little kid growing up in rural Arkansas, he had no clue that his future lay in Hollywood. He didn't even dream of making it on the big screen. As Lofland told the Arkansas Times in 2013, "Even when I was a kid it was never something I thought about. It's not something from our area you ever hear about." During these early years, Lofland did participate in school plays and local productions. However, it wasn't particularly hard to cinch a role. "The school I went [to], we had seven kids in the whole class — we're still best friends — so if you didn't do the play, there wasn't going to be a play," he laughed about in an interview with Interview Magazine. 

Despite this normal background, Lofland became a child actor on a whim and then went on to star alongside some of the biggest names in La La Land. He pursued a career in front of the cameras, transforming from one of the industry's key examples of raw talent to a truly experienced actor. Eventually, he carved out a niche for himself by playing the adorable Cooper in Paramount+'s "Landman" and becoming one of America's most recognizable television actors. Lofland's stunning transformation goes to show that you don't have to be a celebrity nepo baby to make a splash in the entertainment industry. 

These days, Jacob Lofland is known for his work on the oil-rig-centered television drama, "Landman." However, when he was younger, Lofland's connection to the oil rigs was much more concrete. The actor was raised in rural Arkansas by his parents, Billy and Debra Lofland — who actually had strong ties to the rigs. "My dad actually, when he was my age like, 28 to 30, worked in West Texas in the same place in Midland and Odessa. I've heard stories throughout my life of that boom-and-bust life," Lofland revealed in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Billy switched careers after his son was born and opened a sawmill. However, the young actor-to-be grew up fascinated by his dad's early life experiences. "It was always intriguing to me," Lofland added.

Because of his background, Lofland grew up believing that he would one day follow in his father's footsteps. Speaking to rom-com pro, Matthew McConaughey for Interview Magazine, Lofland explained that if he had never discovered acting, "there's a 90 percent chance I would be working on a rig somewhere or driving a truck. It's just what I was around and what everyone else does." The reason for this was also, in part, that Lofland grew up surrounded by stories of hard work. As he told Dazed, "After getting off work, the guys would have a beer around the fire and tell stories. I spent my childhood sitting there, listening."

Jacob Lofland's background in rural Arkansas meant that there weren't a lot of opportunities for young aspiring actors. His parents, Billy and Debra Lofland, certainly never imagined that their son would appear on TV — let alone be cast in a big Hollywood production. Nevertheless, when "Mud" — a blockbuster film starring Matthew McConaughey — opened a casting call in his area, Lofland decided to try out. "I filled out the application, and we did it kind of halfway as a joke," Lofland later told the Arkansas Times. However, he quickly realized that he had all of the characteristics necessary to play the role of Neckbone. "The character wasn't hard," Lofland added. "I already had the accent; they just put me in the clothes. It was that simple."

The young actor's authenticity was one of the factors that helped him cinch the part. Speaking to the Arkansas Times for the same report, film director Jeff Nichols explained that Lofland just sort of stepped into his role. "Jacob has the very rare gift of being natural in front of a camera. Lots of people can understand this concept, but very few can enact it, " he said. "You don't see a change in him between action and cut. It's a natural gift." That gift allowed Lofland to pursue a career in acting beyond his initial experience of playing Neckbone. Few knew it, but a star was being born.

Following his appearance in "Mud," it would have been easy for Jacob Lofland to go back to his normal life in Arkansas. But, the budding star saw potential in a Hollywood career. He noticed that acting was not nearly as difficult as some of the other professions that his family members had pursued. A 17-year-old Lofland told the Arkansas Times, "Now that I've tried it, I love it and I want to make a career out of it. It's fun and it's easy. Everybody is like, 'How hard is it learning your lines?' Well, it's not as hard as working 12-hour days."

Lofland's next big project came in the form of the Southern Gothic drama film "Little Accidents." In a press statement later shared by Flicks And The City, the young actor said that he was drawn to the movie's fascinating plot. "I read the script, and I thought it was an amazing script. I mean, it was written so great," he gushed. Lofland also got along well with the "Little Accidents" writer and director, Sara Colangelo. "We met Sara. I actually met her on the phone for the first time, and she was the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met," he added. "And, I'm like, 'I've gotta work on this. It's going to be great people!'" From there, Lofland worked hard to cinch the role — and was thrilled to be ultimately cast. At that point, it was clear that Lofland had a future in acting.

As Jacob Lofland's acting career grew, so did his abilities. Accumulating experience on set made him an increasingly seasoned actor — a fact that wasn't lost on Matthew McConaughey. Lofland and McConaughey first met on the set of "Mud" but were reunited again to film the 2016 Civil War movie, "Free State of Jones." As the two began to work together for the second time, McConaughey couldn't help but notice just how much Lofland had already transformed. "In 'Mud,' Jacob was innocent and had a talent for being able to be confidently honest in front of a camera," McConaughey reflected in an interview with Dazed. "In 'Free State' he'd become a much more learned actor." The veteran actor then went on to note that Lofland had "educated himself on the craft."

Of course, this did not mean that Lofland lacked a whole lot more to learn. During his time filming "Free State of Jones," Lofland turned to McConaughey for advice. This was especially true when it came time for the young actor to cry on-camera. Speaking to Dazed for the aforementioned report, Lofland recalled, "I was sitting there with Matthew in a tent, stressing about the crying scene coming up, and I asked him if he had any tips." The older actor then turned to Jacob and said, "I do. Nobody can ever tell you that you have to cry." These words helped Lofland film the scene to perfection.

Jacob Lofland has found that acting involves a lot of studying — and he hasn't shied away from the challenge. When he was cast in the oil rig drama, "Landman," Lofland began studying life on the rigs — even though he had grown up surrounded by the stories of his friends and family. At the end of the day, this gave Lofland important hands-on experiences. Chatting with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Lofland explained, "We went through a five-day training camp. I think it was the week before production, maybe two weeks before. But everyone who had to do with oil [was there]." The main purpose of the experience was to prepare the actors for the physical risks of being on the rigs. "That was really just cool to make sure that no one got hurt doing something that we weren't supposed to be doing," Lofland added.

Throughout filming, Lofland often relied on his bootcamp training to make his scenes come to life. Knowing how to handle certain types of machinery was also useful, as it gave him the confidence to make the character of Cooper seem believable to viewers at home. "It definitely helped us have an understanding of what we were doing. We wouldn't have been able to do [the job] without it," Lofland later told UPI. "We had to learn those skills before we were able to even step foot on this set."

Jacob Lofland's professional life is not the only thing that has evolved over the years; the actor's personal life has changed dramatically, as well. Although Lofland has been famously tight-lipped about his personal life, he is among the "Landman" cast members with gorgeous real-life partners. In the 2025 conversation with Matthew McConaughey for Interview Magazine, Lofland revealed, "I've actually got a 4-year-old." Lofland then went on to share, "Her name is Annie. She's adorable. Me and her mom have been engaged for four years and together for about nine."

Although Lofland and his fiancée already had a life together, they struggled to set a wedding date. Reflecting on this reality in an interview quoted by Taste of Country, Lofland said that his character on "Landman" was perhaps a little more suave than he was in real life. "I think Cooper is a lot more romantic than Jacob is," he shared. Lofland then went on to joke, "My poor fiancée is in for it. [After watching Cooper's engagement scene,] She was like, 'OK, when are we actually going to do this thing? You've been dragging me along for how long?'"

These comments aside, Lofland told McConaughey that he and his family were very happy together. "We're still not married, but we're living a great life and really enjoy each other," he said. The actor also praised his daughter for being "smart and amazing" and inspiring him to be his best self.

Although Jacob Lofland was able to enjoy wonderful family moments — like the arrival of his daughter, Annie — he also suffered some tragic losses. This was particularly true when his dad, Billy Lofland, passed away in July 2024 — months before the release of "Landman" Season 1 that November. Because Lofland and his dad had forged a strong relationship, this loss was very difficult to face. "You've always had that person that, no matter what, you could call," Lofland noted in his conversation with Matthew McConaughey for Interview Magazine. "You had that man who gave whatever information or whatever advice — whether it helped or not, at least it was something. And once that's gone, there's just a lonely feeling. That's it."

While there are many different strategies for coping with grief, Lofland decided to look inward. He chose against taking on new professional commitments and just focused on moving forward. "I've tried to stay under the radar. I haven't done a whole lot in the off-season. Losing my dad, I've tried to get through all that by myself," Lofland divulged in the previously cited interview. Although this loss was one of the most tragic details surrounding the "Landman" cast, Lofland hoped to become the type of person his dad would be proud of. "I do believe that losing the man who made you, you have no choice anymore; you better become the man that he's taught you to be," he shared.

When "Landman" did eventually leave production and hit the silver screen, Jacob Lofland was excited. The show involved enough big names that he knew it was going to be a hit. However, nothing could have prepared him for just how huge the show would actually be. "Signing onto the show, there was no doubt it was going to be good — Billy Bob Thornton, Taylor Sheridan, you can't go wrong. But I don't think any of us saw the reaction [coming], and how big it got," Lofland told The Hollywood Reporter. He went on to admit that he had a hard time wrapping his mind around "Landman's" popularity — even after the show had already taken off. "I don't think any of us could even fathom, and it's still kind of hard to," he added. "But I love the fact that everyone loves it."

Of course, the show's success came at a cost. Lofland lost any semblance of anonymity that he had ever had. "Being recognized is probably the biggest thing," the actor admitted in the same interview. "It's really hard for me not to look like Cooper. I walk around with a hat and look exactly like him." The fact that Lofland was based in the oil-rich state of Texas at the time of the interview probably didn't help his case. "Especially walking around Fort Worth right now, every other person turns around, like, 'Landman!'" he mused. "So that's awesome."

With Jacob Lofland's success has come a great deal of privilege — and multiple properties. In 2020, he told Dazed that he had purchased a home in Arkansas. "I just recently bought a house here, a couple miles from where I grew up," he revealed. The reason behind that choice had everything to do with the connections that Lofland has maintained in his hometown — even after becoming famous. "I like to stay close," he quipped in the same interview.

Fascinatingly, though, Lofland dreamed of owning property in other parts of the U.S., as well. He had developed a special passion for Fort Worth, Texas, and its exciting scene. "Dude, I love Fort Worth," he gushed in his interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I'll have a place in Fort Worth as soon as it's financially feasible, it's happening. I love Fort Worth, man. I love the vibe, I love the people, love the food."

Luckily for Lofland, that dream eventually became a reality. In January 2026, he casually told the Hollywood Reporter that he was the proud owner of two homes, stating, "I live in Arkansas. I do have a place here in Fort Worth now." Although Lofland considered himself an Arkansas guy at heart, he couldn't help but love his new city, as well. "I felt, 'If I'm going to be anywhere else, it's got to be Fort Worth,'" he explained.

As Jacob Lofland further refined his acting skills, he found that his scenes in "Landman" often felt like reality. This was especially true in the scenes he performed alongside Billy Bob Thornton, who played Cooper's father, Tommy. "We're acting, but it's so real and so raw when you're working with Billy Bob. It takes the guesswork out of it. You trust each other. It's so easy and freeing," Lofland explained in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "There's no worries when Billy's sitting across from you — you know it's going to be awesome. It's gold."

Interestingly, Lofland listed his off-screen friendship with Thornton as one of the factors that has allowed his acting to reach new heights. As he put it in the same conversation with the outlet, "I'm super privileged to call Billy my friend. I can call Billy and we can talk for two hours." That being said, Lofland also noted that he doesn't necessarily contact Thornton to talk about acting advice. Instead, they mostly talk about "life." The advice simply comes by the way that Thornton and his co-star, Sam Elliot, carry themselves. Reflecting on their leadership skills, Lofland explained, "It's more from being around them; their professionalism. Their energy and want to work, and really, just how good they are. That rubs off more than anything else."