Whatever Happened To Billy Bob Thornton?

Long before the rise and fall of Brangelina, Angelina Jolie was married to another movie star by the name of Billy Bob Thornton, whom you might recognize from his roles in films such as "Sling Blade" and "A Simple Plan." But while you might hear a lot about Jolie these days, Thornton doesn't make nearly as many headlines. Jolie's marriage to Thornton lasted from 2000 to 2003 and was the subject of much tabloid fodder, making it one of Hollywood's most talked-about relationships. Still, "I look at that time as a great time," Thornton claimed in a 2018 podcast interview for "HFPA in Conversation." "Angie's still a friend of mine and she's a great person and she's done so much."

Whereas Jolie found love again with Brad Pitt on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" in 2004 (only for them to split 12 years later), Thornton has been married to wife Connie Angland since 2014, and together, the pair share one daughter named Bella. Thornton is also a father to three children from his past relationships, and his marriage to Angland marked his sixth time saying "I do." In November 2024, the couple made a rare public appearance for the Los Angeles premiere of Thornton's new Paramount+ original series, "Landman," in which he stars as the titular character Tommy Norris. 

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At the event, the two were filmed and photographed posing on the red carpet while matching in all-black outfits. The outing came seven months after the pair were last seen together at the 2024 CMT Music Awards in April, and over two years since the world premiere of Thornton's Netflix film "The Gray Man" in July 2022. Over the years, Thornton has spoken candidly about the private nature of his and Angland's marriage.

Unlike his marriage to Angelina Jolie, Billy Bob Thornton enjoys a quiet life with his longtime wife, Connie Angland, due to their introverted nature and shared desire for privacy. In an interview for Oprah Winfrey's "Master Class" podcast in 2019, Thornton opened up about his struggles with fame and his unique experience of being in a high-profile relationship. "There are times when it's hard to handle," the Oscar winner said of living in the public eye. "Particularly, when you're in a celebrity marriage. ... I had one of those periods, and during that time I found celebrity to be difficult just because of privacy issues," he added. With Angland, though, things are different. He feels happier, more secure, and more content. "I'm in a good relationship now and have been for 10 years, and we have a beautiful daughter," the "Bad Santa" star also expressed.

In his 2018 interview for "HFPA in Conversation," Thornton noted how his marriage to Jolie didn't quite work out in the end due to their lifestyle choices. Whereas Jolie wanted a "global lifestyle," Thornton preferred a more reclusive life (or something close to an "agoraphobic lifestyle," as he described it). Had things been different, perhaps they would've stayed married. "So that's really the only reason we're probably not still together," he explained. Like Thornton, Angland is also a homebody who prefers staying in rather than going out to parties and socializing. Perhaps it's why their relationship works so well. "I'm real uncomfortable around rich and important people," Thornton stressed to GQ in 2016, noting, "I like how I am."