In the gritty, authentic landscape of American cinema, few figures loom as large or as unpredictably as Billy Bob Thornton. An Oscar-winning screenwriter, a transformative actor, and a dedicated blues-rock musician, Thornton has made a career out of playing men who are as broken as they are resilient.
As of February 2026, the 70-year-old veteran is undergoing a massive cultural resurgence, leading one of the biggest shows on television and continuing to prove that in Hollywood, true grit never goes out of style.
Billy Bob Thornton Biography
Born William Robert Thornton on August 4, 1955, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Billy Bob’s roots are firmly planted in the American South. Raised in a shack without running water for much of his childhood, he grew up on stories of his psychic grandmother and his father, a high school basketball coach.
Thornton’s path to stardom was famously paved with “poverty and pizza.” He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s with his writing partner, Tom Epperson, working as a telemarketer and fast-food worker while waiting for his break. That break came in the form of a 1996 masterpiece, Sling Blade, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, ultimately winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and changing his life forever.
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Career
His career is a study in “Character First” acting:
- The Auteur Breakthrough (1990s): Sling Blade established him as a creative force, leading to major roles in Armageddon and A Simple Plan.
- The “Bad” Years (2000s): He redefined the anti-hero with his foul-mouthed, iconic turn in Bad Santa and his chilling performance in Monster’s Ball.
- The Television Era (2014–Present): He won a Golden Globe for the first season of Fargo and carried the legal drama Goliath for four seasons.
- 2026 Milestone: Currently, Billy Bob is the face of Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman” on Paramount+. Playing Tommy Norris, a crisis manager in the West Texas oil fields, Thornton has returned to the “tough-talking Southerner” archetype that his fans adore.
Billy Bob Thornton Movies
- One False Move (1992): The thriller that first put his writing on the map.
- Sling Blade (1996): The film that defined his legacy.
- A Simple Plan (1998): An Oscar-nominated role that showed his profound vulnerability.
- Bad Santa (2003): A cult classic that remains a holiday staple for the irreverent.
- The Gray Man (2022): Showing he can still handle high-stakes action.
- Somedays (Scheduled for 2027): His latest project, currently filming in New Jersey alongside Ariana Greenblatt and Pamela Anderson.
Billy Bob Thornton Net Worth
As of early 2026, Billy Bob Thornton’s net worth is estimated at $45 million. This wealth is the result of a diverse career spanning acting, directing, and high-value TV deals. His salary for Landman is reportedly among the highest in cable television, reflecting his status as a “prestige” leading man.
Family
Billy Bob is a father to four children: Amanda, William, Harry, and Bella. His family life has often been as complex as his movie roles. He is currently a self-described “helicopter parent” to his youngest daughter, Bella, even purchasing a home near her college campus in 2025 to stay close. While he has faced estrangement from his eldest daughter, Amanda, in the past, he has recently spoken about the importance of family stability in his later years.
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The Relationships & Legends
Billy Bob Thornton and Laura Dern
One of Hollywood’s most famous “breakup stories” involves Thornton and Laura Dern. The pair were engaged and living together in the late 90s. While Dern was away filming a movie, Thornton famously traveled to Las Vegas and married Angelina Jolie. Laura famously remarked, “I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married, and I’ve never heard from him again.”
Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie
The marriage between Billy Bob and Angelina Jolie (2000–2003) remains a peak pop-culture legend. From wearing vials of each other’s blood (which Billy Bob recently clarified were just lockets with a single drop) to their intense public displays of affection, they were the ultimate “edgy” couple. Now, in 2026, Billy Bob confirms they remain “very, very close friends,” and he has been a vocal emotional support for her during her recent legal battles.
Billy Bob Thornton and Connie Angland
In 2014, after over a decade together, Billy Bob married Connie Angland, a makeup and special effects artist he met on the set of Bad Santa. Connie is the “calm” in his life. Despite 2026 tabloid rumors suggesting his close friendship with Jolie causes friction, Billy Bob continues to praise Connie for “dragging him out of the gutter” and providing the stable home life he always craved.
Controversies
Thornton has never been one to shy away from a fight or a strange habit:
- The Q Interview (2009): One of the most awkward interviews in history occurred when Billy Bob gave short, difficult answers to an interviewer who mentioned his acting career instead of his band, The Boxmasters.
- Phobias: He is famously open about his eccentric phobias, which include a fear of antique furniture (specifically French provincial) and silver-plated cutlery.
- The Blood Vials: While often portrayed as “vampiric,” Billy Bob spent much of early 2026 on The Drew Barrymore Show and in Rolling Stone setting the record straight: “It was a romantic idea… not a dungeon ritual.”
Billy Bob Thornton’s Age
As of February 14, 2026, Billy Bob Thornton is 70 years old. He will celebrate his 71st birthday on August 4, 2026.
Billy Bob Thornton Now
Now, Sir Billy Bob (as fans of his gritty persona call him) is busier than ever. Between filming Season 3 of Landman in the Texas heat and working on the Netflix feature Somedays, he still finds time to tour with his band, The Boxmasters. He lives a quiet life in Los Angeles and Pacoima, preferring his recording studio to the red carpet.
Conclusion
Billy Bob Thornton is the ultimate survivor of the “New Hollywood” era. He is an artist who refused to be refined, a man who kept his Arkansas drawl and his dark sense of humor, and won the world over because of it.
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