Sam Elliott, the 81-year-old star of Landman, captivated attendees at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday evening. Dressed in a sharp black tuxedo with a bow tie, he complemented his wife of 42 years, 86-year-old The Graduate actress Katherine Ross, as the couple posed lovingly on the red carpet.
Enduring Hollywood Romance
The pair, married since 1984, first met during the 1969 production of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid alongside Robert Redford. Their romance blossomed on the set of the 1978 film The Legacy, leading to a union that has defied Hollywood’s challenges. Ross, previously married four times, has shared one daughter, Cleo, with Elliott. The couple resides in Los Angeles.
Career Highlights
Elliott broke through with his 1976 role in Lifeguard and built a reputation as a character actor. His career surged in 2015 with The Ranch on Netflix. He earned acclaim as Shea Brennan in the Yellowstone prequel 1883, securing a 2023 SAG Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries, edging out Evan Peters’ portrayal in Dahmer. The victory sparked online debate, amplified by Elliott’s prior comments on the 2021 film The Power of the Dog.
Ross received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Elaine in 1967’s The Graduate. Elliott himself garnered an Oscar nod in 2019 for A Star Is Born and boasts two Golden Globe nominations, including one for Conagher opposite Ross, plus two Emmy nods. Notable films include Mask, Road House, Gettysburg, and The Big Lebowski.
Past Controversy
In a 2022 appearance on the WTF podcast with Marc Maron, Elliott criticized The Power of the Dog, calling it a “piece of s***” with “allusions of homosexuality.” He likened its shirtless cowboys in chaps to Chippendales dancers who “wear bow ties and not much else.” Elliott also questioned director Jane Campion’s expertise, asking, “What the f*** does this woman from down there know about the American West?”
Campion responded in an interview, stating Elliott “really hit the trifecta of misogyny and xenophobia and homophobia.” She added, “I think it’s really unfortunate and sad for him. I don’t like that.”
Elliott later apologized publicly: “I told the WTF podcaster that I thought Jane Campion was a brilliant director, and I want to apologize to the cast of The Power of the Dog, brilliant actors all. And in particular Benedict Cumberbatch. I can only say that I’m sorry and I am.”
