The Angelina Jolie Billy Bob Thornton relationship stood out as one of Hollywood’s most passionate and unconventional love affairs, making headlines from the moment the two actors unexpectedly wed in Las Vegas in 2000, while still romantically linked to others. Their whirlwind romance, known for its intense public displays of affection and unusual rituals, captured both media attention and the imagination of fans around the world.
How Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton First Connected
Angelina Jolie met Billy Bob Thornton in 1999 during the filming of Pushing Tin, where they played a troubled married couple. At that time, both were involved with other partners — Jolie had recently split from Johnny Lee Miller and was dating Timothy Hutton, while Thornton, already with four marriages behind him, was engaged to Laura Dern. The sudden connection between Jolie and Thornton soon eclipsed their existing relationships.
Their budding affair led to a spontaneous decision: Jolie and Thornton eloped in Las Vegas in May 2000, shocking the public and those close to them. Laura Dern, who was engaged to Thornton, later reflected,
“I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married, and I’ve never heard from him again.”
— Laura Dern, Actress. This abrupt union set the stage for a romance that would soon consume media headlines, with the duo settling into a $3 million Los Angeles home that became a focal point for paparazzi coverage.
Symbols and Gestures That Defined the Romance
Jolie and Thornton became infamous for flaunting their affection in bold and sometimes controversial ways. One of the most talked-about aspects was their choice to wear necklaces with vials containing each other’s blood, a gesture that fascinated and bewildered the public. During a talk at Loyola Marymount University, Thornton shed light on the origins of that ritual:
“We were apart a lot because she’s off making Tomb Raider and I’m making Monster’s Ball. We were on opposite ends—we see each other for two weeks and whatever.”
— Billy Bob Thornton, Actor & Director. He elaborated further:
“She thought it would be interesting and romantic if we took a little razor blade and sliced our fingers, smeared a little blood on these lockets and you wear it around your neck just like you wear your son or daughter’s baby hair in one.”
— Billy Bob Thornton, Actor & Director.
Their dramatic gestures extended beyond blood lockets. Both celebrities tattooed each other’s names on their bodies and even swapped underwear occasionally, according to Thornton’s recounting in The Guardian. Their relationship was also marked by impromptu declarations of affection: at the premiere of Gone in 60 Seconds, Thornton, in a playful interaction with the press, revealed that the couple had been intimate on the way to the event, reinforcing their reputation for public displays of passion.
The End of a Tumultuous Partnership
After just over two years of marriage, Jolie and Thornton decided to part ways in the summer of 2002. Their separation, while sudden, seemed to be the result of mismatched lifestyles and diverging ambitions. Thornton, in a later conversation, explained their rift:
“Hers is a global lifestyle and mine is an agoraphobic lifestyle. So that’s really, that’s the only reason we’re probably not still together, maybe. There was a different path in life we wanted to take.”
— Billy Bob Thornton, Actor & Director.
Jolie also commented on the challenges in her marriage with Thornton during an interview with Barbara Walters, stating,
“[Billy Bob] started focusing on certain things, his music, and different films. I started focusing on traveling a lot, and really wanted to, and knew Cambodia, and really wanted to adopt a child.”
— Angelina Jolie, Actress. In fact, shortly before the couple split, Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox, an event that marked a new chapter in her personal life.
Life After Their High-Profile Romance
Following their tumultuous separation, both Jolie and Thornton continued on markedly different paths, garnering further attention for their subsequent relationships and professional achievements. In 2004, Jolie began dating Brad Pitt, another actor, sparking a fresh wave of tabloid interest due to allegations involving Jennifer Aniston, Pitt’s then-wife. Over the next several years, Jolie and Pitt, often referred to in the media as Brangelina, expanded their family by adopting and having children, including Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox. The couple parted ways in 2016 after more than a decade together.
Jolie’s career thrived with leading roles in films such as Maleficent, Couture, and Maria, alongside her global humanitarian work. Notably, she has served as a Special Envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency and launched the Voices of Hope initiative in February 2025, aiming to support displaced women and children around the world by improving access to education and healthcare.
Billy Bob Thornton continued to act in a range of projects, including Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties and Devils Peak, and achieved recognition for his Golden Globe-winning role in the Amazon Prime series Goliath. In 2014, he married Connie Angland, marking his sixth marriage, and the couple shares a daughter named Bella. Thornton’s post-Jolie career has established him as a resilient presence in film and television.
The Enduring Mystique of Jolie and Thornton’s Relationship
The Angelina Jolie Billy Bob Thornton relationship left an indelible mark on pop culture by redefining celebrity romance through its intensely emotional, often theatrical displays of love. From their impulsive wedding in Las Vegas to their famous blood vial necklaces and eventual separation, the couple’s story became emblematic of Hollywood’s most unpredictable unions. As both stars moved on to new chapters, their former partnership continues to intrigue those fascinated by the dramatic, charged relationships that only Hollywood can produce.
