7 Shocking Facts And The Real Reason Billy Bob Thornton And Angelina Jolie Remain 'Very Close' Friends In 2025
The whirlwind romance between Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie remains one of Hollywood’s most iconic and controversial chapters, two decades after their divorce. Their three-year marriage, marked by dramatic public displays of affection, matching tattoos, and the infamous blood vial necklaces, captivated and confounded the world. As of December 2025, the conversation is still fresh, thanks to recent comments from Thornton that shed new light on their intense connection and surprisingly civil split, confirming they are still "very, very close friends."
This article dives deep into the true story behind their relationship, separates the media frenzy from the reality, and reveals the profound, yet simple, reason why their paths diverged—a story that involves a fundamental clash between an "agoraphobic" lifestyle and a burgeoning global humanitarian mission.
The A-List Profiles: Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie Biography
Before their paths intertwined on the set of a 1999 film, both Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie had already established themselves as formidable, yet unconventional, forces in Hollywood. Their combined biographies showcase a history of artistic intensity and critical acclaim.
Billy Bob Thornton
- Full Name: Billy Bob Thornton
- Born: August 4, 1955, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
- Career Highlights: Actor, director, screenwriter, producer, musician, and songwriter.
- Key Awards: Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the independent drama film Sling Blade (1996), for which he also received a nomination for Best Actor. He also received a London Critics Circle Film Award for The Man Who Wasn't There.
- Marital History: Married six times, with Jolie being his fifth wife.
Angelina Jolie
- Full Name: Angelina Jolie Voight
- Born: June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Career Highlights: Actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian.
- Key Awards: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted (1999), and three Golden Globe Awards.
- Humanitarian Work: Dedicated over 20 years of service to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador (2001–2012) and then as Special Envoy. She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- Marital History: Married three times, with Thornton being her second husband.
The Wild Romance: From 'Pushing Tin' to Las Vegas Elopement
The couple met in 1999 while filming the air traffic control dramedy Pushing Tin. At the time, Thornton was engaged to actress Laura Dern, while Jolie was recently divorced from Jonny Lee Miller. Their connection was immediate, palpable, and ultimately explosive.
Their first date was allegedly a chaotic, passionate affair that ended with a quick, spontaneous decision. The relationship moved at a breakneck pace, culminating in a surprise Las Vegas wedding in May 2000. Jolie, then 24, and Thornton, 45, shocked the world by eloping in a simple ceremony at the Little Church of the West, with no family or friends present. This age gap and the sudden nature of the marriage immediately made them tabloid fodder.
They became the epitome of Hollywood's "rebel couple," known for their grunge aesthetic, unconventional interviews, and open declarations of love. They were the most talked-about celebrities of the early 2000s, setting a new standard for intense, public romance.
The Real Story Behind the Infamous 'Blood Vials'
The most enduring and sensationalized detail of their marriage was the matching necklaces they wore, which the media quickly dubbed "blood vials." This detail cemented their reputation as a strange and dark couple. However, Thornton has repeatedly clarified the true nature of the lockets in recent interviews, including a recent profile for *Rolling Stone*.
- Not Vials, But Lockers: Thornton explained that they were not large, dramatic vials, but small, silver lockets.
- A Simple Gesture: The lockets contained a tiny smear of each other's blood.
- The Context: The gesture came about because they were often separated due to their respective filming schedules. It was intended as a symbolic, romantic way to keep a piece of the other person close, similar to wearing a lock of hair.
- Thornton's Perspective: He noted that the media blew the story out of proportion, creating a narrative that they "live in a dungeon, we drink each other's blood," which was far from the truth.
The 'Civilized' Split: Lifestyle Differences and Global Ambition
Despite the intensity of their bond, the marriage began to dissolve in 2002, with the divorce finalized in 2003. Unlike many high-profile Hollywood splits, their separation was described as "civilized" and amicable. The reason for the divorce, as Thornton has explained in numerous candid discussions, including a recent one, was not a lack of love, but a fundamental incompatibility in their life trajectories.
The Core Conflict: Agoraphobic vs. Global Lifestyle
Thornton's professional life was centered on his work as a musician, actor, and writer, often preferring a quieter, more grounded existence. He described his own nature as somewhat "agoraphobic," preferring to stay home, play music, and live a relatively low-key life.
Conversely, during their marriage, Angelina Jolie's career and personal focus began to shift dramatically towards international humanitarian work. Her role as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, which began in 2001, required her to travel the world, visiting refugee camps and war zones. This "global lifestyle" created an unbridgeable gap between the two stars.
Thornton reflected on this in a 2018 interview, stating: "Hers is a global lifestyle and mine is an agoraphobic lifestyle. So that's really the only reason why we're probably not still together, because we just had different paths in life."
The Enduring Friendship: A Mutual Respect for the Past
The most surprising aspect of their relationship is its longevity as a friendship. In recent years, Thornton has consistently spoken about Jolie with deep affection and respect, confirming that their bond is still strong.
In a recent interview, Thornton called the time they spent together "one of the greatest times" of his life. He has made it clear that despite the divorce, he holds no ill will and remains a steadfast admirer of her work, particularly her extensive humanitarian efforts. This mutual respect was highlighted by the fact that Jolie reportedly reunited with an ex-husband at the 2025 Golden Globes, a dynamic that contrasts sharply with the public difficulties in her subsequent marriage to Brad Pitt.
The story of Billy Bob and Angelina is a powerful lesson in Hollywood relationships: sometimes, intense love doesn't fail due to conflict or infidelity, but simply because two people, no matter how passionate, are destined for fundamentally different worlds. Their ability to maintain a "very, very close" friendship over two decades proves that their connection was authentic, even if their marriage was not built to last.
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