Paulina Chávez Breaks Down That ‘Landman’ Attack & Teases Aftermath in the Finale

Things got very, very scary for Ariana (Paulina Chávez) in the penultimate episode of Landman Season 2 after she was viciously attacked in an alleyway by a man who was both racist and a sexual predator and had been previously booted for his aggression towards her at the bar where she worked.

Cooper (Jacob Lofland) just so happened to be paying her a visit at work at that exact time and stepped in to stop the assailant before things could get worse by pounding on the guy until Ariana convinced him to stop. Now, audiences are left to wonder how this horrifying incident will impact them both.

Before the attack, Ariana had finally come to a place of peace with the loss of her husband, forged her own identity with a new job, and dropped the walls she’d put up with Cooper at the start. So how does this nightmare scenario impact her going forward, and what else can fans expect from the finale?

To break down the events of Landman Season 2 Episode 9 and get a sense of what to expect from next week’s finale (and beyond), TV Insider caught up with Paulina Chávez.

This season has been a roller coaster ride for Ariana. How do you feel about some of the reactions that we’ve seen for the ups and downs with her and Cooper specifically?

Paulina Chávez: I feel like when you are deciding to go into a new relationship — knowing what she knew from a previous relationship and now how the oil industry really scares her — I feel like it is about finding that person who is willing to go through those ups and downs with you and figure it out together. I feel like their separation — their very short separation — was very much necessary for her to kind of prove to herself that she can sustain her life and her baby by herself if she wanted to. I think it’s life. Life is so messy, and I think it’s so beautiful to showcase it. It’s not just sunshine and rainbows. It is life.

Coming into this week’s episode, she really seemed to be gaining a lot of confidence that we hadn’t gotten to see from her yet. Part of it was, like you said, the work and being on her own and doing things for herself. What do you think it was about the cafe, specifically, and having to deal with people like she had, that gave her that boost of inertia?

I mean, this is also the first time that we see her out and about. In the first season, she was just in her house, not really going anywhere. I feel like being surrounded by such badasses that work there, I mean, to have the temperament to deal with different personalities and whatnot gave her the confidence to also speak up for herself. She’s not going to take s**t from anyone, and that’s so important to see. And even from Ariana, I also learned the confidence to speak up and whatnot, and she gave me that confidence. I think it’s something that we all go through as women. When you’re growing up, you’re — at least, for me — very timid, not knowing your place, not knowing your worth, and then there’s that switch that happens, that you’re just like, “I’m not going to take this anymore. And why should I?” And I think it’s really cool, too, that we all witness it.

Emerson Miller / Paramount+

This week’s episode was very heavy. What was it like for you when you first heard that she would be going through this just at that moment, like we were talking about, where she was finally hitting a stride?

I mean, we were all pretty much going in blind this season. We didn’t know where our characters were going, and so getting that episode was a surprise. There was no heads up for me, just like the viewers don’t get a heads up for things like that to happen. But ultimately, it was just, it’s a woman’s worst nightmare to go through that. I mean, we’re always looking over our shoulders, especially walking home at night, walking to your car at night, and so as much as it was a surprise to like read it, it was not a surprise to me — especially with a character like Johnny, it makes so much sense. And ultimately, as horrible as the situation was, as an actor, I was excited to work with the stunt department and get to map that out because it’s all choreography. And I found that really exciting. And then on the day to shoot, it was a completely different story. I mean, I had so much confidence going into it because of our stunt team and our intimacy coordinator, Mam Smith, and also just the amazing cast and crew. They’re so respectful. And so I was given that space to allow myself to be in that situation, for those moments. Technical notes aside, it was a very heavy scene. Yeah, everybody felt it.

Oh, I’m sure. And the attack on her is twofold, in a way, because it’s not just the physical aggression. He’s also using racial slurs against her. How did you guys prepare for that and set the tone of the set to have words like those come on to the screen and be so shocking and horrible?

I mean, we always like to keep it as light-hearted as possible. I remember I showed up, Jacob and my good friend Woodrow — who was Jacob’s stand-in — and I, we showed up to set up with our Bucees onesies, just to keep it very light-hearted. The guy who played Johnny, Mike [Harkins], he was actually a very sweet person, and so he was also very respectful, and I obviously understand. And as upsetting as those words are for me as an individual, I don’t hold weight to those words because at the end of the day, it’s all projection of the person and what they’re going through… I don’t remember who said it, but somebody could be yelling at you and saying terrible things in a different language, and it rolls off your back because you don’t understand what they’re saying. And so I do think that sometimes you can’t hold such heavy words too personally because it’s not a reflection of me or a reflection of my character, but it’s very much real, and something that people have gone through, and people still go through, and it’s very much relevant to our time. But I did let that anger of what my ancestors would have to go through — walking through this world and being able to give me the opportunities that I have now, it was all struggle, and so I let those words very much burn in that moment, even though I knew it was a safe space. But it’s very interesting. I keep talking about this, that as an actor, it’s like your mind knows when it’s fake, but your body doesn’t understand that it’s fake. And so there’s a lot that goes on there.

After Cooper comes and takes Johnny out, one of Ariana’s first reactions is to try and protect him from himself. What do you think that says about their relationship that even after she’s been through all this, she’s still kind of, “Don’t get yourself in trouble, don’t go to jail”? And then how will all this affect them in the finale?

I think there’s so much care between the two of them that it’s he’s got her back: “I’ve got your back no matter what, and we’ll take care of each other.” And I think that’s the most beautiful thing, when two individuals decide to come together — like together together — they’re more but individually, they’re still whole. And yeah, I mean, you see the security footage at the end of the scene, and I think you’ll definitely come back for this season finale, and I’m so excited for people to watch.

Related

'Landman' Fans Rage Over Cami's 'Mistake' Decision to Fire Tommy

A completely separate thread from the episode was that Tommy was fired as the M-Tex president, and we know that he’s put Cooper into his job. I’m just curious how that’s going to affect Ariana and Cooper.

Oh my goodness. I remember reading it and then seeing it. When I did see it, I was just like, “Oh my gosh, agh!” So upsetting that he was fired. I think this whole season has shown the quality of family relationships and how much they just stick together, and I think you’re going to definitely see that fortify more and more.

The show’s been renewed for Season 3. What do you think fans should look forward to when it returns after this finale?

My goodness, I feel like there’s just so much to dig into. And I mean, the first season, we always say that it was just scratching the surface of and laying down the foundation of what the oil industry is, and the second season is laying down the family foundation and the human connections. And I have no idea what their season is going to be, but I feel like it’s just going to continue getting better and better. And I’m so excited to see where everybody’s characters go.

Do you hope there’s a seven-season plan or is there any hypothetical number that you want to go to?

I love working with this cast and this crew. They are such a dream. And I love being in Fort Worth and shooting in Texas, which is my home, and so, I mean, I would love to do this forever.

Landman, Sundays, Paramount+