Hollywood Star Finds Domestic Bliss After Multiple Marriages
Billy Bob Thornton has broken his usual silence about personal matters to discuss his enduring marriage to Connie Angland, offering a rare glimpse into the private life of the typically reserved actor.
The 70-year-old Landman star told Rolling Stone magazine that his relationship with his sixth wife, whom he married in 2014, feels completely natural and effortless. Thornton emphasised that they have constructed a loving and stable home life together that stands in stark contrast to his previous relationships.
A Partnership Built to Last
Connie and I have been together 23 years and married for 12. Our daughter is 20. So, I found the right spot to be, the actor revealed during his candid interview.
Thornton didn't shy away from discussing his previous five marriages, admitting that earlier unions lacked the same foundation. The other times I got married were just like, you had a little too much to drink one night and somebody said: "We should get married." You go: "Yeah, OK." He added with characteristic humour: I always tell people, at least I was trying.
The actor has consistently maintained that he doesn't consider himself part of the Hollywood establishment, preferring domestic comforts over celebrity parties. In a previous conversation with People magazine, Thornton explained: I don't talk about politics and stuff with people. I just kind of stay out of it all. I'm not really much of a part of Hollywood, as you say.
Quiet Celebrations and Simple Pleasures
Thornton's preference for a low-key lifestyle was particularly evident when he celebrated his 70th birthday on August 4. Rather than throwing an extravagant party, the Armageddon star requested complete simplicity from his wife.
Connie asked me what I wanted and I said: "Nothing, absolutely nothing. As a matter of fact, don't mention it to anybody," he recalled. The couple marked the occasion by spending quality time at home with their children, enjoying a vegan cake that accommodated Thornton's dietary restrictions against wheat and dairy.
We really just hung out here at the house, just me and Connie and the kids, and had a nice time, he shared. They got me a vegan cake, which - I can't eat wheat or dairy, so that was awesome. Anytime a guy like me could have cake, it's a great day.
Reflections on Past Relationships
The interview also provided Thornton with an opportunity to address his highly publicised marriage to Angelina Jolie, which lasted from 2000 until their divorce three years later. Despite their 20-year age difference and intense media scrutiny, Thornton described their separation as really civilized.
That was the one that ended up being a really civilized breakup, he stated. We simply split up because our lifestyles were so different. The actor confirmed that both he and the Maleficent actress had a great time together and that their relationship represented one of the greatest times of my life.
Remarkably, Thornton revealed that he and Jolie remain very, very close friends more than two decades after their divorce. This enduring friendship stands as testament to their mutual respect despite the challenges they faced during their marriage.
Thornton also took the opportunity to address one of the most persistent myths from his relationship with Jolie - the infamous blood vials they allegedly wore around their necks. The actor insisted the story had been exaggerated beyond recognition.
We each had a little locket, literally with a drop of blood in them. That's a romantic little idea, and that's all that was, he explained. By the time it's over, we're vampires. We live in a dungeon, we drink each other's blood, that kind of stuff.
The actor shares daughter Bella, 20, with current wife Angland, along with three other children from previous relationships: Amanda, 46, with ex Melissa Lee Gatlin, and sons William, 32, and Harry, 30, with ex-wife Pietra Dawn Cherniak.
Jolie, who shares six children with ex-husband Brad Pitt, has previously echoed Thornton's affectionate sentiments about their relationship, telling reporters in 2008: I still love him dearly and think the world of him. And I'm proud to have been his wife for a time.
