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