Paulina Chávez, the breakout star of LANDMAN, has revealed the haunting, private advice she received from creator and director Taylor Sheridan just moments before filming one of the most violent and emotionally punishing scenes of the series — a moment she now calls the most shocking of her career.

In a recent interview, Chávez opened up about the intense preparation behind the scene, describing it as a turning point not only for her character, but for her as an actor. Known for her grounded performances and emotional depth, Chávez admitted that nothing could have fully prepared her for the psychological weight of the sequence — until Sheridan pulled her aside and said something she will “carry forever.”

LANDMAN, Sheridan’s gritty drama exploring power, survival, and moral collapse in the modern oil world, does not shy away from brutality. But according to Chávez, this particular attack scene crossed into territory she had never navigated on screen before.

“It wasn’t just violent,” she explained. “It was invasive. It was terrifying. And it was meant to feel that way.”

The scene required Chávez to portray fear, shock, and survival in real time — without cutting away, without softening the impact for the audience. While intimacy coordinators, stunt professionals, and safety protocols were all firmly in place, the emotional challenge remained overwhelming.

That’s when Taylor Sheridan intervened — not with technical direction, but with something far more personal.

According to Chávez, Sheridan noticed her hesitation just before cameras rolled. Rather than pushing her or offering generic encouragement, he delivered a quiet, almost unsettling piece of advice.

“He said, ‘Don’t play the fear,’” Chávez recalled. “He told me, ‘Let it happen to you. Fear comes later.’”

The words startled her. Sheridan wasn’t asking her to perform terror — he was asking her to surrender control of the moment, to stop anticipating pain and instead exist fully within the character’s reality.

“That flipped a switch in my head,” she said. “I realized I was trying to protect myself emotionally, and that was blocking the truth of the scene.”

Chávez explained that the advice helped her cross what she calls “the boundary of fear” — the invisible line actors often struggle with when scenes become too real, too raw.

Instead of bracing herself, she focused on stillness. On breath. On reaction rather than anticipation.

“The second I stopped trying to be brave, the scene worked,” she said. “I wasn’t acting anymore. I was responding.”

Crew members on set reportedly fell silent during filming, with several admitting afterward that the atmosphere felt “heavy” and “uncomfortably real.” When the director finally called cut, Chávez said she didn’t move for several seconds.

“I just sat there,” she admitted. “My body needed time to catch up to the fact that it was over.”

While the scene pushed her to her limits, Chávez is clear that she doesn’t regret it — and credits Sheridan for guiding her safely through the process.

“Taylor never exploits violence,” she said. “He uses it to tell the truth about power and vulnerability. That scene wasn’t there to shock — it was there to make people uncomfortable for a reason.”

Industry insiders are already calling the performance awards-worthy, noting that Chávez brings a rare authenticity to the role — one that refuses to glamorize trauma or sanitize fear.

Critics have praised the scene as one of LANDMAN’s most devastating moments, precisely because it feels unfiltered and human.

Chávez was careful to emphasize that despite the emotional intensity, the set remained professional and respectful throughout.

“There was constant communication,” she said. “I always felt physically safe. The challenge was internal.”

She added that Sheridan checked in with her immediately after filming and again later that day, reinforcing the importance of aftercare when actors are asked to go to dark places.

“That mattered more than people realize,” Chávez said. “It reminded me that the story is intense, but the people telling it still care.”

For Chávez, the experience reshaped her understanding of strength — both as a performer and as a woman navigating violent material on screen.

“Strength isn’t about pushing through fear,” she reflected. “Sometimes it’s about letting yourself feel it, and trusting that you’ll come out the other side.”

Fans of LANDMAN have since flooded social media with praise, calling her performance “chilling,” “unforgettable,” and “impossible to shake.” Many say the scene lingers long after the episode ends — not because of graphic content, but because of its emotional honesty.

With LANDMAN continuing to gain momentum, Paulina Chávez’s revelation has only deepened appreciation for the work happening behind the camera. Her willingness to speak openly about fear, vulnerability, and trust has sparked broader conversations about how violent scenes should be handled in modern television.

As for Sheridan’s advice, Chávez says it has permanently changed her approach to acting.

“Whenever I’m scared now,” she said, “I hear his voice reminding me not to perform the fear — but to trust the moment.”

And for audiences watching LANDMAN, that trust is exactly what makes the scene so unforgettable.