Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, and musician. He received international attention after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade. In the 2000s, Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster’s Ball, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and Friday Night Lights. In 2014, Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo, earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards. In 2016, he starred in an Amazon original series, Goliath, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama.

About Billy Bob Thornton in brief

Summary Billy Bob ThorntonBilly Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, and musician. He received international attention after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade. In the 2000s, Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster’s Ball, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and Friday Night Lights. In 2014, Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo, earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards. In 2016, he starred in an Amazon original series, Goliath, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. In addition to film work, Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters. Thornton has been vocal about his distaste for celebrity culture, choosing to keep his life out of the public eye. His marriage to Angelina Jolie has proven unavoidable in certain cases, his marriage to Jolie being a notable example. Thornton was born on August 4, 1955, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is the son of Virginia Roberta, a self-proclaimed psychic, and William Raymond \”Billy Ray\” Thornton, a high school history teacher and basketball coach. His brother Jimmy Don wrote a number of songs; Thornton recorded two of them on his solo albums. He has another brother, John David Thornton. Thornton lived in numerous places in Arkansas during his childhood, including Alpine, Malvern, and Mount Holly.

He was raised Methodist in an extended family in a shack that had no electricity or plumbing. He graduated from Malvern High School in 1973. He tried out for the Kansas City Royals, but was released after an injury. After a short period laying asphalt for the Arkansas State Transportation Department, he attended Henderson State University to pursue studies in psychology but dropped out after two semesters. He had a difficult time succeeding as an actor and worked in telemarketing, offshore wind farming, and fast food management between auditioning for acting jobs. He also played the drums and sang with South African rock band Jack Hammer. He played a small role as a counter man in the 1987 Matlock episode “The Photographer” He also made an appearance as an angry heckler in Adam Sandler’s debut film Going Overboard. His role as the villain in One False Move, which he also co-wrote and starred in, also brought him to the attention of critics. He went on to write, direct, and star in the 1996 independent film “Sling Blade” He has received the President’s Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, a Special Achievement Award fromthe National Board of Review, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s including Oliver Stone’s neo-noir U Turn, political drama Primary Colors, science fiction disaster film Armageddon, and the crime drama A Simple Plan.