Landman's Paulina Chávez Said This Co-Star 'Makes It So Fun To Be On Set' Together
Paulina Chávez, one of the leading ladies of "Landman," has had some of the most challenging scenes on the show. In the series premiere, Ariana Medina, Chávez's character, becomes a widow and a single mother when her husband dies in an unfortunate oil rig accident. She struggles with that grief as she embarks on a new relationship and has to get a job to sustain herself and her son. And in Season 2, her character is constantly harassed while at work.
Despite the challenging scenes, Chávez found levity on the set of "Landman" through her co-star, Billy Bob Thornton. It's an unlikely pairing, since Chávez was one of the youngest main cast members on set while Thornton was one of the oldest. And on the show, Ariana and Thornton's character, Tommy Norris, don't have the best connection. Tommy didn't approve of her relationship with his son, Cooper Norris.
But in May 2026, Chávez told People that Thornton, "has really set the tone for this set to just be so welcoming and like family. It makes it so fun to be on set, and I think that's the key to longevity in this career, is to just remember where you come from, and not be a gatekeeper either."
Paulina Chávez was surprised to be cast as a mother in Landman
"Landman's" Paulina Chávez may look so familiar because she has been acting in TV shows and films since she was 14. Her first acting break was in a sci-fi series called "Day 5," but Netflix viewers may recognize Chávez from her roles in "Ashley Garcia: Genius In Love" or "Fate: The Winx Saga." It was "Landman" that truly elevated the young actor's fame. Chávez received her first Actor's Award nomination for best ensemble in a series.
It's quite rare for an actor to play a mother in their early 20s. Chávez was also aware of this when auditioning for Ariana Medina. "I never expected to hear back from them because of how young I was," Chávez said to Backstage in January 2026. But as Chávez told the publication, Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the series and the megahit "Yellowstone," thought she would be the best actor for the role, saying to her, "I'm gonna trust you with this role."
The biggest bonus for starring in the show is that Chávez is surrounded by a cast of familiar actors in "Landman." Thornton, an Oscar-winning actor, is the main star of the show, but Demi Moore, John Hamm, Sam Elliott, and Andy Garcia are also part of the star-filled cast.