Charlie Newsom Actor Guy Burnet Got His Landman Role In The Most Unexpected Way

Creator and showrunner Taylor Sheridan certainly has a unique method when choosing the actors he wants to be in his ever-rankable macho TV shows, such as "Yellowstone" (and its sprawling TV universe), "Mayor of Kingstown," and "Landman." Whether that's Billy Bob Thornton (whom he wrote the role of Tommy Norris for before asking him to play it), cinema legend Sam Elliott, or a totally unexpected choice like "Oppenheimer" actor Guy Burnet, he never hesitates to simply reach out and offer them the kind of part they can't refuse. Who could say no to the guy who has developed a monopoly over his own territory of streaming television in the past eight years?

However, Burnet's role as Charlie Newsom in the second season of "Landman" came unexpectedly via a short series of lucky accidents. As the actor told Taste of Country in a 2025 interview, he met Sheridan by happenstance. "We came up to each other at a boxing gym and started chatting away. He went off and I got a text saying, 'Hey listen, Taylor Sheridan is interested in you.'" 

For some reason, Burnet didn't hear back from the team for a while before running into the writer-creator once again in New York. There, he was kind of shocked by Sheridan's chummy greeting. As Burnet recalled, "He's like, 'There is my new employee.' I was like, 'Excuse me?' He said, 'Come over here,' and we sat down and he said, 'You're going to be Indiana Jones.'"

Given that they only met once prior, that must have been quite the surprise for the 42-year-old actor. This time, however, Sheridan quickly followed up on his word and made Burnet a guest star in Season 2 for five episodes.

Introduced in Season 2's fourth episode, "Dancing Rainbows," Guy Burnet plays Charlie Newsom, a savvy geologist who also becomes the love interest of series regular Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace). The two meet on a bumpy flight to Midland, as Charlie helps calm Rebecca's nerves by offering her a few drinks to ease her aerophobia. Naturally, that leads to more after landing, and Rebecca finds herself in a complicated situation with the fella once she learns he's also her co-worker at M-Tex.

Burnet plays Newsom with a charming, casual coolness, and his fiery back-and-forth with Wallace's strict and fearless lawyer is plenty of fun to watch — even if it has virtually nothing to do with the main storyline. They have a genuine magnetism toward each other, which, as Burnet continued to explain to Taste of Country, came from a rapport the two developed before shooting together. "Kayla and I built our chemistry before we even started filming. We talked about life, got to know each other. Those passionate kissing moments, you need two people who are game to do this. You've also got to like each other to some degree. I think the audience can tell when it's fake."

Their turbulent on-screen romance definitely feels authentic. Yet Burnet approached those moments with a deep respect for his co-star, who's happily married in real life. "She [Wallace] has a very nice and handsome husband who we like very much. You're also in the character and have to bring that fire to it." All in all, Burnet joining the stellar (and familiar) cast of "Landman" was a welcome addition to the show's sophomore season. We'll (hopefully) see where their love affair goes next year, in an already confirmed Season 3.