MOVIE NEWS – Billy Bob Thornton’s character takes a beating in the Season 1 finale of Taylor Sheridan’s Landman. But that pales in comparison to the injuries he sustained while filming Steven Seagal’s On Deadly Ground—and they didn’t even come from fighting the action icon.

Billy Bob Thornton has recently found success playing Tommy Norris in Paramount+’s hit series Landman. During an interview with The Guardian, he recounted a brutal on-set accident that happened while working on Seagal’s 1994 action film. According to Thornton, it all started when his then-agent wanted to turn him into an action star:

“When I first signed with an agent, the plan was to turn me into an action hero. So, I ended up playing some dumbass who was basically there to get killed by Seagal. One scene had me on a horse at the top of a mountain. I grew up riding horses, but I’m no Roy Rogers or Lash LaRue. There I was with seven stunt guys chasing Seagal through the woods. It was a wide shot being filmed from another mountain, so you couldn’t tell it was me. I could’ve been wearing Bozo the Clown makeup.

I made it down the hill for three takes, and I thought, ‘Damn, I am Roy Rogers.’ Then, on the fourth take, the last thing I remember was my right hand on the saddle horn. Next thing I knew, my feet were in the air, and I woke up with dirt all over my face and in my mouth. I couldn’t breathe or feel the right side of my body.”

Thornton suffered severe injuries in the accident but can still laugh about it in retrospect:

“I had broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a severely bruised pelvis and a concussion. They put me in a hotel room for a few days with some Vicodin and a cooler full of grocery store sandwiches and Gatorade, and then a PA would come check on me every couple of days. It was called On Deadly Ground. I was like, ‘No sh-t.’”

Billy Bob Thornton Joins Taylor Sheridan’s Expanding Universe

Landman has been a massive success on Paramount+, securing another hit for Taylor Sheridan and giving Thornton a role that could turn into a long-term gig. While Season 2 has not yet been officially confirmed, the series has consistently remained at the top of Paramount+’s streaming charts since its premiere in mid-November.

Thornton, however, remains in the dark about the show’s future. Speaking to Deadline after the Season 1 finale, he shared how little Sheridan has revealed about the plans for a potential continuation.

“Not really. Taylor keeps it pretty close to the vest until it’s time. And when he knows it’s time, he’ll let me know. And when he lets me know, he really lets me know the whole thing. It’s kind of like when you’re cleaning the house, and you want to get all the dust out of the corners before the family gets home. He wants it to be exactly where it’s supposed to be before we hear about it.”

Source: MovieWeb