Billy Bob Thornton

**Billy Bob Thornton** (born August 4, 1955) is an American film actor, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter. He gained international fame after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film *Sling Blade* (1996), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the same film. Known for his roles in One False Move (1992), Tombstone (1993), Dead Man (1995), U Turn (1997), Primary Colors (1998), Armageddon (1998), Monster's Ball (2001), The Man Who Wasn't There (2001), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), Bad Santa (2003), and Friday Night Lights (2004), Thornton is considered one of the finest actors of his generation. He also had a successful career on TV, starring in the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire from 1992 to 1995 and playing a leading role in the Amazon legal drama series, Goliath, from 2016 to 2021. Apart from acting and filmmaking, Thornton has also been a singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the rock band the Boxmasters. He has been vocal about his distaste for celebrity culture, choosing to maintain a private life. He has been married six times, his marriage to Angelina Jolie from 2000 to 2003 received extensive media attention. Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Thornton has had a varied career in entertainment and continues to contribute to film, television and music.