Billy Bob Thornton —RUBEN V. NEPALES
Los Angeles—“I hope the best for her, absolutely,” Billy Bob Thornton said of his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, in the wake of her split from Brad Pitt. Billy and Angelina, who were married in 2000 and separated in 2002, have remained friends.
The actor has been married to Connie Angland, described as a makeup effects crew member, since 2014. It’s his sixth marriage. They have a daughter, one of Billy’s five children by three women.
The 61-year-old actor reprises his role, Willie, in director Mark Waters’ “Bad Santa 2.” Kathy Bates, Tony Cox and Christina Hendricks costar.
Excerpts from out chat:
Were you shocked when you heard the news about Angelina and Brad splitting?
I am never shocked by anything I hear, because these things happen all the time—people you know going through troubles, or someone dying or committing suicide. Those things affect you, but once they settle in, none of them surprises me. Because, first of all, I don’t know anything about them.
Are you worried for Angelina?
My answer to that, at this point, has to be—it’s none of my business. If it is made my business, then I will certainly comment on it. Angelina is a lovely person and a friend of mine. But we generally avoid talking about things like that when we do speak.
If she needed me, I would be there in a second. So right now, I don’t have enough information to comment about it. But, of course, I hope the best for all of them. I really do.
Can you clarify your quote in a GQ magazine article about the “problem” in your then-relationship with Angelina? You said, “I never felt good enough for her.”
Yeah it means exactly what I said. And that is true. But see, these days, I’m the first to admit it, I am pathetically insecure. Like really insecure. I grew up in a rough way. I grew up poor, and we moved into a town that was a little bigger, and I was made fun of as being a hillbilly and all these things. Most of us still keep a lot of whatever we were when we were kids. You retain a lot of it.
So, we’re still kids looking for acceptance. Having grown up poor, I am very uncomfortable around rich people—I always have been. Like, if I go to a fancy dinner party at some rich people’s house, and they got butlers and maids, I get creeped out. I always go out and smoke. I do.
But anyway, I don’t feel comfortable around people that I feel are above my station. When actors who have a lot of money and big houses have gatherings, they assume that I am like them, but I am not. I have been at things before with the most famous people and politicians, and I feel so out of place. I don’t mind feeling out of place. I would rather feel out of place than sit around and talk about what ski resorts I like.
I just don’t understand it. What I meant by that is, Angelina is known as this beautiful, smart, worldly person and, to a degree, I always wondered what the hell she was doing with me. She didn’t treat me that way. I put that on myself. But I couldn’t help it. I have always felt that, not just about her, but about many people.
What is Christmas like in your house? A lot of booze and swearing?
Actually, I am the opposite of the guy in the movie. We have a very traditional Christmas. It’s my favorite time of year, and I love it. It’s a great family time. We have traditional food and everything. The only thing that is not traditional about it is that I dress like Abbie Hoffman.
There is nothing weird. As a matter of fact, we don’t even drink alcohol at Christmas, because our whole family doesn’t drink. I can’t drink much anymore. I have one or two light beers, and I feel like I have a sinus headache. It’s a shame.
Do you dress up as Santa Claus?
I have never dressed up as Santa outside of this movie. I have had some people dress up like Ms Claus. It wasn’t just three ho’s. It was just one.