Billy Bob Thornton Reveals What Really Happened With Angelina Jolie’s Blood

Billy Bob Thornton is setting the record straight on the rumor that defined his early-2000s marriage to Angelina Jolie, the infamous “blood vials.”

In a new interview, the 70-year-old clears up the decades-old myth while reflecting on how a simple, romantic gesture became a global tabloid obsession.

As he now embraces a calmer phase of life, Thornton is finally explaining what really happened between him and Jolie, and the truth is far more ordinary than the story that followed them.

Thornton directly addressed the intense media speculation that has followed him and Angelina Jolie for more than two decades, revealing that the public story was completely wrong.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, he explained that the bizarre claim that he and Jolie wore vials full of blood “never existed.”

Instead, the actor clarified that they each had a small locket with one drop.

Thornton described it as “a romantic little idea,” but by the time the media began twisting facts, he said the story had turned them into “vampires” who lived in a dungeon and drank “each other’s blood.”

Billy Bob Thornton recalled his marriage to Jolie with warmth, stressing that even with the very intense media coverage, it was one of the happiest periods of his existence.

He stated, “That was one of the greatest times of my life,” adding that he and the actress are still “very, very close friends.”

The filmmaker clarified that their separation was not dramatic but was “civilized,” mainly resulting from their clashing personal lives and careers rather than from any actual argument.

Thornton also recalled how unexpectedly famous they became.

When they first met, he was the more well-known actor, but once they became a couple, their level of fame grew sharply because the public loves celebrity partnerships.

The “Landman” star mentioned that the attention was overwhelming, and they couldn’t go anywhere without being chased or becoming the main story in the news.

Thornton admitted that they sometimes made comments that were easily turned into “sound bites,” but even then, he didn’t realize how their relationship would become such a memorable moment in popular culture.

While reflecting on his past, Thornton also shared insight into the peaceful place he is in now.

His 70th birthday celebration wasn’t a Hollywood spectacle. Instead, it was a quiet day at home with his wife, Connie Angland, and their children.

When asked what he wanted for the milestone, he told Connie, “Nothing, absolutely nothing. As a matter of fact, don’t mention it to anybody.”

Instead, they stayed home and enjoyed time together.

Connie also surprised her man with a vegan cake that he appreciated deeply, as he couldn’t eat wheat or dairy.

During the chat, Thornton said he finally feels stable after five previous marriages, adding that he and Angland have been together for 23 years and married for 12, with their daughter now 20.

He described his earlier marriages as impulsive decisions made in moments where “somebody said, ‘We should get married'” and he agreed after having “a little too much to drink.”

Today, life is calmer, clearer, and more settled.

Beyond his personal life, Billy Bob Thornton also discussed his hit Paramount+ series “Landman,” which just launched its second season.

He plays Tommy Norris, a deeply stressed oil-industry dealmaker, and sees pieces of himself in the role.

The Hollywood star said he relates to feeling like he once had “the weight of the world on my shoulders,” and because he grew up in Arkansas and Texas, he understands the culture surrounding the oil world.

Thornton also shared stories about filming intense scenes, including being tied to a chair with a burlap sack over his head, joking that he has “been closer to that in my real life” than running an oil company.

He praised creator Taylor Sheridan for understanding what audiences want and compared long-form TV storytelling to classic soap operas that kept viewers hooked.

Thornton reflected on how he once turned down major TV opportunities because he grew up believing film actors shouldn’t cross over.

He admitted that he resisted for years, even as his manager tried to convince him that the industry was changing.

The “Sling Blade” star said he passed on multiple series that went on to become major hits in the 2000s, simply because he didn’t want to “do TV.”

What changed everything was his experience on “Fargo.”

Once he joined the series, he realized that modern television was “long-form movies” and not the old system he had avoided.

From there, Thornton embraced the direction the industry was heading, eventually landing leading roles in major streaming projects like “Landman.”

The singer said Sheridan helped create strong characters for actors like Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, and himself, at a time when Hollywood wasn’t making the kinds of films they used to star in.

For Thornton, streaming became not just a career revival but a surprising new creative home.