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The latest season of Paramount+’s Landman continues to blaze through the gritty world of West Texas oil fields with intense family dynamics. The neo‑Western drama created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace follows the powerful and unpredictable Norris family as they navigate life in the booming energy industry. Among the ensemble, Michelle Randolph’s spirited Ainsley Norris and Jacob Lofland’s determined Cooper Norris stand out for their on‑screen storylines and their tenuous sibling relationship. While they frequently clash on-screen, even the actors don’t quite understand why they hate each other. Here’s what Randolph shared.

Michelle Randolph doesn’t know why her ‘Landman’ character, Ainsley Norris, hates her brother, Cooper Norris

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In Landman, Paramount+’s gritty West Texas drama Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, siblings Ainsley and Cooper Norris are consistently at each other’s throats. Ainsley, played by Michelle Randolph, is the fiery, free‑spirited teenage daughter of Tommy and Angela Norris. She dreams of escaping the chaos of oil country and forging a life far from the boom‑and‑bust world she grew up in. In contrast, her older brother, Cooper, played by Jacob Lofland, has embraced the dangerous work of the oil fields. Their opposing worldviews fuel a charged sibling dynamic that adds emotional depth to the show.

Randolph spoke to TODAY about why Ainsley and Cooper seem to hate each other. And the actor doesn’t have a clear answer.

“We don’t know,” the Ainsley actor admitted. “Jacob Lofland, who plays Cooper, we’ve both called Taylor and been like, ‘Can you give us something to work off of?’ It’s really hard to hate each other, because he’s one of my great friends. Until I find out otherwise, they are mirrors for one another. They each stand for everything the other person opposes. It’s fun. I don’t have that dynamic in my real life, so I get all my anger out at that.”

Jacob Lofland also talked about his on-screen dynamic with Michelle Randolph

Jacob Lofland previously confirmed that he and Michelle Randolph are friends when the Landman cameras are off. He discussed his relationship with his co-star in a behind-the-scenes video, according to OutKick.

“When me and Michelle get to work together, we’re always fighting,” Lofland said of his character, Cooper, and Randolph’s character, Ainsley. “It’s always an argument, but it’s so funny because our dynamics off the set are not like that. We are like brother and sister off set, but we get along tremendously. So, it’s like we’re really having to act like to not like each other on screen, and as soon as we cut it’s always like, ‘I’m sorry.’ We have a great time. Those scenes are always fun.”

Fans will have to wait and see how Cooper and Ainsley’s relationship progresses (or regresses) in Landman Season 3.

What’s coming in ‘Landman’ Season 3 for Ainsley?

By the end of Landman Season 2, Michelle Randolph’s character, Ainsley Norris, has graduated from the oil‑field drama at home to her freshman year at Texas Christian University. After an early stint at cheer camp, where she clashes and eventually bonds with her new roommate, Paigyn, Ainsley navigates the awkward realities of dorm life. She briefly moves into a more pampered off‑campus setup with her mom’s help, and ultimately decides to give college life another shot alongside her peers. Along the way, her romantic life with boyfriend Ryder becomes strained by divergent ambitions and geography.

So, what’s next for Ainsley in Landman Season 3? Randolph has no idea.

“I wish I knew,” she told TODAY. “I’m just as eager to find out. She’s definitely going to college, thank goodness. I’m excited to see who she is outside of her family dynamic. I’m excited for her to be around her peers and be off on her own.”

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