Billy Bob Thornton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Bob Thornton
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Thornton in 2017
|
|
| Born | August 4, 1955 Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Melissa Lee Gatlin
(m. 1978; div. 1980)Toni Lawrence
(m. 1986; div. 1988)Pietra Dawn Cherniak
(m. 1993; div. 1997)Connie Angland
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 4 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Alternative country |
| Instruments |
|
| Labels | Vanguard |
| Associated acts | The Boxmasters |
William Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter. He became widely known after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade (1996). For this film, he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for Best Actor. He also received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in A Simple Plan (1998).
Thornton has appeared in many other films, including One False Move (1992), Tombstone (1993), Dead Man (1995), Armageddon (1998), Monster's Ball (2001), Bad Santa (2003), and Friday Night Lights (2004). He has also written films like A Family Thing (1996) and The Gift (2000). He directed movies such as All the Pretty Horses (2000) and Daddy and Them (2001).
On television, Thornton starred in the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire from 1992 to 1995. In 2014, he played Lorne Malvo in the first season of the FX series Fargo. This role earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film. From 2016 to 2021, he played Billy McBride in the Amazon legal drama Goliath, winning another Golden Globe Award. Since 2024, he has been starring as Tommy Norris in the Paramount+ series Landman.
Besides acting, Thornton is also a singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums and is the lead singer of the rock band The Boxmasters. He prefers to keep his private life out of the public eye. He has been married six times. His marriage to Angelina Jolie from 2000 to 2003 received a lot of media attention.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Billy Bob Thornton was born on August 4, 1955, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His mother, Virginia Roberta, was a self-proclaimed psychic. His father, William Raymond "Billy Ray" Thornton, was a high school history teacher and basketball coach. Billy Bob has two other siblings. His brother, Jimmy Don, wrote songs, and Billy Bob later recorded two of them.
During his childhood, Thornton lived in several places in Arkansas, including Alpine and Malvern. He was raised in the Methodist faith. He attended Malvern High School. Thornton faced challenges with dyslexia in school, which was diagnosed later in his life. He was a good high school baseball player and even tried out for the Kansas City Royals, but an injury ended his baseball dreams.
After graduating in 1973, he worked briefly for the Arkansas State Transportation Department. He then attended Henderson State University to study psychology but left after two semesters. In the mid-1980s, Thornton moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting with his future writing partner, Tom Epperson. He worked various jobs, like telemarketing and fast food management, while auditioning for roles. He also played drums and sang with the rock band Jack Hammer. A conversation with film director Billy Wilder inspired him to consider screenwriting.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Roles and First Success
In September 1987, Thornton performed in a play called Beethoven Symphonies. His first on-screen role was a small part in the thriller Hunter's Blood. He also appeared in the film South of Reno and a 1987 episode of Matlock.
He was a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire. In 1989, he had a small role in Adam Sandler's first film, Going Overboard. He played the villain in the 1992 film One False Move, which he also helped write. .....
Sling Blade and Major Recognition
In 1996, Thornton wrote, directed, and starred in the independent film Sling Blade. This film was based on his earlier short film, Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade. It told the story of a man with an intellectual disability who was imprisoned. Sling Blade received international praise.
Thornton won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sling Blade. He also received nominations for Best Actor at the Oscars and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. After this success, Thornton took on many major film roles. In 1998, he played Richard Jemmons in Primary Colors. That same year, he appeared in the disaster film Armageddon. He also starred in the thriller A Simple Plan, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Thornton adapted the book All the Pretty Horses into a film in 2000. He also directed Daddy and Them in 2001. In 2000, an early script he wrote with Tom Epperson became the film The Gift. In 2001, he starred in three Hollywood films: Monster's Ball, Bandits, and The Man Who Wasn't There.
In 2003, Thornton played a grumpy mall Santa in the comedy Bad Santa. In the same year, he was an oil millionaire in Intolerable Cruelty and a President in the British romantic comedy Love Actually. In 2004, Thornton played David Crockett in The Alamo. He also starred as Coach Gary Gaines in the football drama Friday Night Lights. On October 7, 2004, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Later Career in Film and TV
In 2005, he played a baseball coach in the sports comedy Bad News Bears. He appeared in the 2006 film School for Scoundrels, playing a self-help doctor. Other films include the drama The Astronaut Farmer (2007) and the comedy Mr. Woodcock (2007). In September 2008, he starred in the action film Eagle Eye. In 2011, Thornton voiced Jack in the animated comedy Puss in Boots.
In 2014, Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the FX miniseries Fargo, which was inspired by the 1996 film. He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for this role. He also made a guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory in 2014. That same year, he played a prosecutor in the legal drama The Judge. In 2015, Thornton appeared in Entourage, a film based on the TV series.
Goliath, an Amazon Studios series, featured Thornton as a lawyer who was once brilliant but is now struggling. The show premiered on October 13, 2016. Goliath was renewed for two more seasons, with the final season released on September 24, 2021. In 2016, he also returned as the grumpy mall Santa in Bad Santa 2. In 2017, Thornton starred in the music video "Stand Down" by Kario Salem. Since 2024, Thornton has starred in Landman as Tommy Norris, a landman at an oil company.
Music Career
In the 1970s, Thornton was the drummer for a blues rock band called Tres Hombres. The band released their only studio album, Gunslinger, in 1983. In 1985, Thornton joined the South African rock band Jack Hammer and recorded one album with them, Death of a Gypsy, released in 1986.
In 2001, Thornton released his first solo album, Private Radio. He followed this with The Edge of the World (2003), Hobo (2005), and Beautiful Door (2007). He performed the Warren Zevon song The Wind on a tribute album. He also recorded a cover of the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire" with Earl Scruggs. In 2007, Thornton formed The Boxmasters with J.D. Andrew.
In April 2009, Thornton and The Boxmasters appeared on the CBC Radio One program Q. The appearance faced some criticism. The Boxmasters later canceled the rest of their Canadian tour due to illness among the band and crew.
Awards and Recognition
Billy Bob Thornton has received several honors for his work. These include the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films and a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been nominated for an Emmy Award, four Golden Globes, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Private Radio (2001)
- The Edge of the World (2003)
- Hobo (2005)
- Beautiful Door (2007)
Personal Life
Marriages and Family
Thornton has been married six times and has four children with three different women.
He was married to Melissa Lee Gatlin from 1978 to 1980. They had a daughter named Amanda. Amanda was later involved in a legal case regarding the death of a friend's child. The Innocence Project of Florida helped her, and she was freed in 2020 after new evidence was presented.
Thornton married actress Toni Lawrence in 1986, divorcing in 1988. From 1990 to 1992, he was married to actress Cynda Williams. In 1993, he married Pietra Dawn Cherniak, and they had two sons. Their marriage ended in 1997.
Thornton dated Laura Dern from 1997 to 1999. In 2000, he married actress Angelina Jolie, who was almost 20 years younger than him. Their marriage was known for their unique displays of affection, like wearing small lockets with a single drop of each other's blood. They announced the adoption of a child from Cambodia in 2002, but Jolie adopted the child as a single parent. They separated in June 2002 and divorced the following year.
In 2003, Thornton began a relationship with makeup effects artist Connie Angland. They have a daughter together. Although he once said he likely wouldn't marry again, he and Angland were married on October 22, 2014, in Los Angeles.
Health and Interests
When he was younger, Billy Bob Thornton was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition. He now follows a vegan diet and avoids certain foods due to allergies.
Thornton has dyslexia, which affects reading, and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). He has also mentioned some unique fears, like a phobia of antique furniture, especially fancy French styles. He also dislikes certain types of silverware.
Billy Bob Thornton is a big fan of baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals. He often includes a clause in his movie contracts that allows him to watch their games. He also supports the Indianapolis Colts football team.
He is also a self-described "Brony," which means he is a male fan of the animated show My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
When asked about his beliefs, Thornton has said he is not a traditional religious person. He believes that no one can truly know exactly what happens after life.
