Billy Bob Thornton has always had a rare mix of sharp wit and Southern charm — the kind that feels as smooth (and dangerous) as a whiskey sour. Whether he’s playing a grumpy Santa or a small-town troublemaker, Thornton’s delivery is equal parts sincere and sly. But he doesn’t see himself as daring.
“A brave choice is seeing someone being attacked in a park and stepping in. It’s not brave to do something weird in a movie scene,” he said with a grin.
🎥 Back in the Oil Fields with Landman
In his latest role on Paramount+’s “Landman,” Thornton plays — well, himself… if he worked in the rough-and-tumble oil business.
“I pretty much am playing myself if I were a landman,” he admitted.
The show takes viewers deep into the world of Texas oil, a setting rarely shown on screen.
“The movie Giant — one of my favorites — was about the oil business in West Texas,” Thornton said. “This show’s kind of like Giant… with cursing!”
Fans have been waiting a long time for the next chapter — and now Landman’s Season 2 premieres next Sunday.
🎭 Thornton’s Style: No Rehearsals, Just Real
According to co-star Ali Larter, Thornton isn’t big on rehearsing.
“You have to be ready to go,” she said. “Fresh. Whatever happens, happens.”
His laid-back “hillbilly” energy isn’t an act either. Proudly calling himself a “Tex-Arkansan,” he says growing up in small-town America shaped everything about him.
“I keep my upbringing in my back pocket all the time,” he said. “You never forget it.”
🪚 From Sawmills to Hollywood
Thornton didn’t start in showbiz. Before fame, he worked in machine shops and sawmills — jobs where a single mistake could cost a finger, or worse.
“We used to joke that sawmill workers order five beers like this,” he laughed, holding up three fingers.
He only took a drama class because he needed to pass something in school. But that “easy credit” changed everything.
💬 Billy Wilder’s Brutally Honest Advice
While working as a busboy at a Hollywood party, Thornton met legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder, who bluntly told him:
“‘Forget about acting. You’re too ugly to be a leading man, and too pretty to be a character actor.’”
When Thornton asked what he should do, Wilder said,
“‘Can you write? Then write your own stories. Create your own characters. Don’t stand in line with everybody else.’”
Thornton took that advice — and it led to Sling Blade (1996), which won him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and a nomination for Best Actor.
✍️ Why He Stopped Writing and Directing
Despite that success, Thornton says he’s not sure he’ll ever return to directing.
“All my stories come from Southern literature. I don’t think people care about that kind of stuff now,” he said. “So, I doubt I’ll do it again.”
💔 A Brother’s Memory
The actor admits he hasn’t felt carefree since the early ‘90s, when he worked on The Outsiders. That changed after his brother Jimmy — and best friend — passed away.
“It changed my life,” he said quietly. “Yeah… I carry that with me.”
🎸 Music Still Keeps Him Going
Thornton’s love for music never faded. His band, The Boxmasters, has recorded 19 albums and even opened for The Who this past summer.
“We’re just there to waste 45 minutes while they get ready,” he joked.
⏳ On Turning 70
When asked about turning 70, Thornton raised an eyebrow:
“‘What did you say?’” he shot back with mock offense. Then added, “You’re scared of every milestone, but this one really made me have a few late-night meetings with myself.”
Still, he’s grateful for where he’s landed.
“We’ve all seen each other get older,” he said of his peers like Sam Elliott, who still acts at 81. “When I see the wisdom and respect people have for them, it just makes everything melt away. I’m in a successful band, a successful show… Every day I wake up, I just say I’m blessed.”
