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Sam Elliott, the star of “Landman” Season 2, has seen it all in Hollywood. While he often plays supporting roles, his magnetic presence and charisma frequently make him the standout character in every project. Elliott’s career spans numerous iconic films and TV shows, including “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Tombstone,” and “The Big Lebowski.” Known primarily for his rugged cowboy portrayals, Elliott surprisingly reveals that his personal favorite role isn’t from these classics. Instead, he cherishes his performance in the 2017 film “The Hero.”
The Orchard
In a promotional interview for “The Hero,” Elliott shared that choosing his favorite film wasn’t straightforward. He explained that his preferences often revolve around the people he worked with rather than the films themselves. In this regard, “The Hero” stands out. The movie casts Elliott as Lee Hayden, an aging Western movie star confronting a terminal illness. As Hayden, Elliott navigates the complexities of mending his fractured relationship with his daughter, Lucy, portrayed by Krysten Ritter of “Jessica Jones” fame.
In “The Hero,” Elliott melds his cowboy persona with aspects of his own life, delivering a poignant portrayal of a man reflecting on his past. Although the film didn’t capture widespread attention upon release, Elliott’s personal endorsement highlights its overlooked brilliance.
Elliott mentions that throughout his career, many filmmakers expressed intentions to tailor roles specifically for him, though these projects often didn’t come to fruition. That changed in the mid-2010s when two of his filmmaker admirers began crafting “The Hero.” Writer-director Brett Haley, alongside collaborator Marc Basch, developed the character of Lee Hayden with Elliott in mind. Initially skeptical due to past experiences, Elliott was eventually convinced.
“I didn’t believe him at first, but then a couple of months later, I received the treatment,” Elliott told Collider. The film was initially titled “Iceberg,” a name that piqued his interest. Elliott reflected, “[The treatment] really rang true to me in comparing an actor’s career and his one success to an iceberg. The visible part isn’t necessarily the most crucial element that supports everything beneath the surface.”
The Hero was written specifically for Sam Elliott
The Orchard
According to Sam Elliott, plenty of filmmakers have told him that they planned on writing something with him in mind over the years, and the projects simply never materialized. That was, until the mid-2010s, when two filmmaker fans of his began developing “The Hero.” According to Elliott, writer-director Brett Haley (who co-penned the script with Marc Basch) created the role of Lee Hayden just for him. Having heard this all before, he was skeptical.
“I didn’t believe him, but then a couple months later, here comes this treatment,” Elliott told Collider. At the time, the working title of the film was “Iceberg,” which immediately drew his attention. “[The treatment] really rang true to me in comparing an actor’s career and his one success to an iceberg,” he said. “That what you see is not necessarily the most important stuff that holds it all up.”
Ultimately, it was the character that convinced Elliott to sign on for the film above all else. “A lot of it certainly parallels me,” the actor admitted, and that made the opportunity too good to turn down. However, the truth is that Elliott’s actual life has not been quite as messy as the one Hayden lives in the movie, with his character making some bad decisions. “I think the real difference is that Lee just f***ed his life up,” Elliott told Collider. “He f***ed his life up in pursuit of this career.”
