Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an Academy Award-winning American screenwriter, actor, as well as occasional director, playwright and singer.

Born in Arkansas, the son of a psychic and high school teacher, Thornton was one of four children, all of which were shipped around American during their early years.

Following a mediocre start in the world work, Thorton had moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career as an actor. Thornton initially had a difficult time succeeding as an actor and worked in a number of casual jobs whilst auditioning for jobs. Whilst working as a waiter for an industry event, he served film director Billy Wilder and struck up a conversation with Wilder, who advised Thornton to consider a career as a screenwriter.

In the early 90’s he had a number of small roles in productions such as Hearts Afire, Indecent Proposal and Tombstone, but in 1996 he released the independent film Sling Blade, which he wrote, directed and starred in. The screenplay earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, a Writers Guild of America Award, and an Edgar Award, while his performance received Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor.

In 2000 Thorton adapted the book All the Pretty Horses into a film with the same name, starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz. The negative experience during this release led his decision to never direct another film. Also in 2000, an early script that he and Tom Epperson wrote together was made into The Gift, which starred Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes and Giovanni Ribisi.

His time spent directing quickly became replaced by a career as a singer-songwriter. In 2001 her released a roots rock album, Private Radio, followed by The Edge of the World in 2003 and Hobo in 2005.

Despite his decision not to direct any more, Thornton has appeared in a number of movies, such as Armageddon, A Simple Plan, Monster’s Ball and Bad Santa.

Thornton has admitted to having an obsessive-compulsive disorder, which includes a phobia of antique furniture and a fear of certain types of silverware.

Thornton lives in Los Angeles. He has been married five times, most notably to actress Angelina Jolie. The pair were known for their eccentric behaviour, including reports that they wore vials of each others’ blood around their necks; he later clarified this to be that the two of them wore small lockets that contained a drop of blood from each of them inside.

Thornton and Jolie adopted a child from Cambodia renamed Maddox. Jolie’s divorce petition named the child as being both hers and Thornton’s offspring and requested the Court grant her custody and Thornton reasonable parenting time.

He is the father of four other children: Amanda Spence with his first wife, Melissa Gatlin; William Langston and Harry James with his fourth wife, Pietra Cherniak; and Bella, with Connie Angland, who is Thornton’s current girlfriend. Thornton has also stated that he will likely not marry again; he has specified that he believes that marriage "doesn’t work" for him.