Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan reflects on working with Sam Elliott on 1883 and their reunion filming Landman. 

1883 was released in 2021 as the chronologically earliest prequel to the Yellowstone franchise. Starring Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Isabel May, and Elliott, the miniseries followed pioneers as they made their way west.

Elliott’s Shea Brennan helped lead the treacherous expedition with the goal of seeing the Pacific Ocean. Elliott will reunite with Sheridan in Landman season 2, where he has been cast as a series regular.

In an interview with GoldDerby, Sheridan describes the brutal filming conditions for Elliott during 1883 and working on Landman. He details working in “108-degree heat dressed in wool” and only having three interior sets during filming. He notes that Elliott embraced it and that it “[felt] like he was doing something special.

“ Sheridan also praises Elliott’s distinct way of delivering dialogue and is glad to be working together again on Landman, which is currently filming.

Sam Elliott has this effortless ability to stress the perfect syllable, to impact the meaning of a sentence and completely fill it with emotion, effortlessly. I was just with him on set two hours ago.

It’s so great to be back with him. I’ve been blessed to work with some phenomenal actors, and I’ve had some wonderful experiences. But you know I dragged Sam through a very similar hell that we just went through in 1883. There were only three interior sets for the entire shoot.

We were in 108-degree heat dressed in wool and then we were in minus-6 in the same wool. It was a state of misery. For Sam to take that abuse and embrace it, and really feel like he was doing something special.

… We’ve all done this enough that you can wonder, is there a way they’re gonna put this thing together and it works, but every once in a while you’re on one, and you know, unless the director is colossally f–king up, this thing is gonna work.

What This Means For Sheridan Shows

There Is A Grand Visual Scope

1883 showcased the harsh conditions it took to travel west, often in excruciating detail. Along with showing the never-ending difficulties of the pioneers, the series made an effort to display incredible vistas throughout the journey. Instead of relying on visual effects, the crew filmed on real locations.

Everyone on set was subject to the elements during the shoot, but it paid off in the finished product. The varying weather conditions likely helped the performances as the real-life people involved were also struggling at certain points.

With his signature mustache and particular enunciation, he fits perfectly in that world.

Elliott is the quintessential Western actor. Although Sam Elliott’s filmography is full of roles outside of the genre, it is what he is best known for. With his signature mustache and particular enunciation, he fits perfectly in that world.

Having Elliott appear in the most classic style of Western in the Yellowstone universe was a perfect casting choice. 1883 is a far more serious show than some of the soap opera elements of Yellowstone, and Elliott helped add to that gravitas.

Our Take On Elliott & Sheridan Teaming Up

Elliott Will Make A Great Addition To Landman

Sheridan is one of the most prolific creators working in TV today. He continues to make hit shows, with Landman being the most recent example.

Elliott is joining the already impressive Landman cast that will see him acting with other on-screen legends like Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore. Given Elliott’s previous experience working with Sheridan on 1883, he should be a great addition to another neo-Western with Landman, despite the filming conditions they worked under before.