For Landman star Paulina Chávez, portraying the grieving widow Ariana in Taylor Sheridan’s oil drama unexpectedly left her with one specific, unexpected anxiety.
Acting can leave an unexpectedly durable impact on a performer, especially when they spend significant time in odd or unsettling character headspaces.
For instance, Austin Butler’s Elvis accent reportedly stayed with him long after the role ended, while Lady Gaga’s infamous method acting for House of Gucci became so intense that she brought a psychiatric nurse to set by production’s end.
In a new interview, Chávez recounts how playing Ariana left her with a specific lingering fear that caught her wildly off guard one unexpected night.
Paulina Chávez grew genuinely fearful of loved ones dying
Chávez’ character Ariana knows death and tragedy intimately. When asked by Town & Country Magazine about the part of Ariana that stayed with her, the actress admitted, “What I’ve carried from Ariana has been the fear of a loved one just dying.”
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Discovering that intense feeling surprised her. “I didn’t even realize it until a loved one was doing a long drive, and I was just so worried, and I didn’t know why I was freaking out,” she said.
She realized the fear “was because Ariana was there saying, ‘Hey, they could just die,’ which is not fun to think about.”
The realization also provoked curiosity over Ariana’s possible future journey. “I do wonder if that is going to carry with her,” she mused, “just the fear of knowing how dangerous the industry is, and knowing that her partner… maybe Cooper, I don’t know, if they do decide to continue their relationship… is that going to be a fear of hers?”
There’s no word yet on if the pair’s future will actually happen, as Season 2 hasn’t been announced. If it does, expect more Demi Moore and Andy Garcia.
