Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone. In the mid-1990s, after writing, directing, and starring in the independent film Sling Blade, he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He appeared in several major film roles following Sling Blade 's success, including 1998's Armageddon and A Simple Plan. During the late 1990s, Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter. He has released three albums and was the singer of a blues rock band.
Academy Awards
Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay
Known For
U Turn
(1997)
Darrell
The Judge
(2014)
Dwight Dickham
Love Actually
(2003)
The US President
Armageddon
(1998)
Dan Truman
Eagle Eye
(2008)
Thomas Morgan
Tombstone
(1993)
Johnny Tyler
Bad Santa
(2003)
Willie
The Gray Man
(2022)
Fitzroy
Puss in Boots
(2011)
Jack (voice)
Indecent Proposal
(1993)
Day Tripper
The Alamo
(2004)
Davy Crockett
Faster
(2010)
Cop
Bound by Honor
(1993)
Lightning
Bandits
(2001)
Terry Lee Collins
Intolerable Cruelty
(2003)
Howard D. Doyle
London Fields
(2018)
Samson Young
Full Filmography
Acting
Hunter's Blood
(1986)
Billy Bob
South of Reno
(1988)
Counterman
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
(1988)
Self - Audience Member
Chopper Chicks in Zombietown
(1989)
Tommy
Going Overboard
(1989)
Dave
The Dark Backward
(1991)
Patron at Sloppy's
For the Boys
(1991)
Marine Sergeant, Korea
One False Move
(1992)
Ray Malcolm
Indecent Proposal
(1993)
Day Tripper
Tombstone
(1993)
Johnny Tyler
Bound by Honor
(1993)
Lightning
Grey Knight
(1993)
Langston
Trouble Bound
(1993)
Coldface
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun
(1993)
Rowdy Udall
On Deadly Ground
(1994)
Homer Carlton
Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade
(1994)
Karl Childers
Floundering
(1994)
Gun Clerk
The Stars Fell on Henrietta
(1995)
Roy
Out There
(1995)
Jailbird
Dead Man
(1995)
Big George Drakoulious
Sling Blade
(1996)
Karl Childers
Don't Look Back
(1996)
Marshall
The Winner
(1996)
Jack
U Turn
(1997)
Darrell
The Apostle
(1997)
Troublemaker
A Gun, a Car, a Blonde
(1997)
Syd / Monk
Armageddon
(1998)
Dan Truman
A Simple Plan
(1998)
Jacob Mitchell
Primary Colors
(1998)
Richard Jemmons
Homegrown
(1998)
Jack Marsden
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn
(1998)
Self
Pushing Tin
(1999)
Russell Bell
South of Heaven, West of Hell
(2000)
Brig. Smalls
CatDog and the Great Parent Mystery
(2000)
Hound Dog McDog / CatDog's Step-father (voice)
Arista Records' 25th Anniversary Celebration
(2000)
Self
The Last Real Cowboys
(2000)
Tar
Monster's Ball
(2001)
Hank Grotowski
Bandits
(2001)
Terry Lee Collins
The Man Who Wasn't There
(2001)
Ed Crane
Daddy and Them
(2001)
Claude Montgomery
The Badge
(2002)
Sheriff Darl
Waking Up in Reno
(2002)
Lonnie Earl Dodd
Bad Santa
(2003)
Willie
Levity
(2003)
Manuel Jordan
Intolerable Cruelty
(2003)
Howard D. Doyle
(Inside Out): Warren Zevon
(2003)
Narrator
Love Actually
(2003)
The US President
The Alamo
(2004)
Davy Crockett
Chrystal
(2004)
Joe
Friday Night Lights
(2004)
Coach Gary Gaines
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
(2004)
Self
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
(2004)
Other Voices (voice)
The Ice Harvest
(2005)
Vic
Bad News Bears
(2005)
Morris Buttermaker
Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood
(2005)
Self
School for Scoundrels
(2006)
Dr. P
NFL: Favre 4 Ever
(2006)
Voice
2006 St. Louis Cardinals: The Official World Series Film
(2006)
Narrator
The Astronaut Farmer
(2007)
Charles Farmer
Mr. Woodcock
(2007)
Jasper Woodcock
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation
(2007)
Self
Eagle Eye
(2008)
Thomas Morgan
The Informers
(2008)
William
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
(2008)
Self
Ramble At The Ryman
(2009)
Himself
Faster
(2010)
Cop
Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm
(2010)
Himself
The Smell of Success
(2011)
Patrick
Puss in Boots
(2011)
Jack (voice)
Dislecksia: The Movie
(2011)
Himself
Nashville Rises
(2011)
narration
Harry Dean Stanton: Crossing Mulholland
(2011)
The Baytown Outlaws
(2012)
Carlos
Basically Frightened: The Musical Madness of Colonel Bruce Hampton
(2012)
Self
Jayne Mansfield's Car
(2013)
Skip Caldwell
Parkland
(2013)
Forrest Sorrels
Sport in America: Our Defining Stories
(2013)
Himself
The Judge
(2014)
Dwight Dickham
Cut Bank
(2014)
Stan Steeley
21 Years: Richard Linklater
(2014)
Self - Actor
Into the Grizzly Maze
(2015)
Douglass
Entourage
(2015)
Larsen McCredle
Our Brand Is Crisis
(2015)
Pat Candy
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon
(2015)
Self / Actor / Director
Trailer Park Boys: Drunk, High and Unemployed: Live In Austin
(2015)
Himself
Bad Santa 2
(2016)
Willie Soke
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
(2016)
General Hollanek
What Doesn’t Kill Me: The Life and Music of Vic Chesnutt
(2016)
Himself
The First Boys of Spring
(2016)
London Fields
(2018)
Samson Young
Temple of Art
(2018)
Self
A Million Little Pieces
(2019)
Leonard
ZZ Top - That Little Ol' Band from Texas
(2019)
Self
Untouchable
(2019)
Himself (archive footage)
The Ventures: Stars on Guitars
(2020)
Picture Show: A Tribute Celebrating John Prine
(2020)
Self
Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man
(2020)
Self
Hollywood.Con
(2021)
Boxmaster
Walk, Don't Run: The Story of The Ventures
(2022)
The Gray Man
(2022)
Fitzroy
Immediate Family
(2022)
Devil's Peak
(2023)
Charlie McNeely
Writing
One False Move
(1992)
Writer
Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade
(1994)
Writer
Sling Blade
(1996)
Theatre Play and Screenplay
A Family Thing
(1996)
Writer
Don't Look Back
(1996)
Writer and Story
The Gift
(2000)
Screenplay
The Last Real Cowboys
(2000)
Story
Daddy and Them
(2001)
Writer
Camouflage
(2001)
Story and Screenplay
Jayne Mansfield's Car
(2013)
Screenplay
Directing
Sling Blade
(1996)
Director
All the Pretty Horses
(2000)
Director
Daddy and Them
(2001)
Director
The King of Luck
(2011)
Director
Jayne Mansfield's Car
(2013)
Director
Production
Crew