Different scenes evoke different emotions from the Landman actress Ali Larter.
The feisty, free-spirited, and sometimes over-the-top character of Angela is one that always keeps Landman fans entertained. Whether she is volunteering at the senior living facility, planning an extravagant dinner, or being an overprotective mother to her and Tommy Norris’ children, there is something about her complex yet comical character that everyone can relate to.
Season 2 of the hit Taylor Sheridan series featured extensive character development for Larter and Michelle Randolph, which some fans did not love, as it shifted the focus away from the chaos unfolding in the oil fields. But with the plotline focusing more on Angela and Ainsley, it led to some deeply personal moments for Larter while filming. Ali Larter has previously opened up about how much she dislikes filming bikini scenes for the shows, which is quite surprising given the confidence Angela exudes.
“I don’t think there’s an actress alive that’s like, ‘Woo! Got a bikini scene!’ Nobody wants to do it. Those are the hardest for me. I don’t enjoy them. It’s just part of the story that I’m telling, and I’m an actress, so I get on board. But those are definitely my least favorite.”
But Ali Larter pushes the thoughts of being on camera in a bikini to the side and fully embraces Angela’s character, learning to channel her “I don’t give a rip” energy instead of letting her own insecurities show through:
“But no matter what, it’s like, I’ve got to spend all this time fighting off my own insecurities, my own anxiety, to be able to put on that bikini and walk into these scenes… When I look around, the sexiest women I know are the women that own it. So part of getting there with Angela is owning it.
(There’s) no space in my mind for insecurity. I’m not allowing any of that into my space when I play Angela. I wouldn’t be able to do it if I allowed insecurity to creep in.”
However, Angela did let a little bit of her personal experiences shine through in some other scenes. During a recent interview with People Magazine, Ali Larter shared that one scene in Season 2 of the show was much more challenging to film than others, noting it was painful. Angela’s character experienced a lot of intense emotions this season, from having her father-in-law move in with them to giving her son her engagement ring so he could propose. A scene that fans might have overlooked was the hardest for her to shoot.
“Episode 9 was a really painful episode for me to shoot. I think it was one of the toughest scenes.”
She said, referencing the scene where she drops off her baby girl, Ainsley, at TCU cheer camp for the summer.
“Angela feels like it’s a loss in her life, with her daughter leaving. I have a lot of friends who are empty-nesters, and I have seen those ugly sobs. I think that Angela doesn’t really feel like she has a purpose without her daughter. What is her life going to look like, with her growing up?”
Ali Larter shared that after fully embracing the broken heart of a mother who is an empty nester got praise from women who are fans of the show. Larter revealed that many mothers shared that they got emotional, too, and praised her performance in this scene.
“I’ve been hearing from all these mamas about being able to see that, and that it made them emotional. Because that’s the reality of it when you raise these babies, and then they take off and start their life, and who are you? What’s your identity without them?”
While I am sure my parents were beyond ready for me to leave the house, I was not the baby of the family, and I’m sure my mother was sad to watch my little sister, who ironically also went to TCU, flee the nest. It’s a beautiful yet heartbreaking thing because mothers spend their whole life preparing their kids to leave home one day and to support themselves, but when that day comes, you’re never truly ready for it.
Check out more of what Larter has to say on this emotional scene during a “Behind the Story” episode.
