Skip to content
MovieCove
Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton

Actor, also writer, director and producer · Born August 4, 1955 (71) · Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA

Oscar winner · 2 Golden Globes · Primetime Emmy nominee · 5 other major award bodies

Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone. In the mid-1990s, after writing, directing, and starring in the independent film Sling Blade, he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He appeared in several major film roles following Sling Blade 's success, including 1998's Armageddon and A Simple Plan. During the late 1990s, Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter. He has released three albums and was the singer of a blues rock band.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 4, 1955 (71)
From
Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer, director and producer
Titles
88 on MovieCove · 112 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What are Billy Bob Thornton's films like?

Across their 70 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 66 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 22 · Serious 20 · Dark 24

A split, not a type: Grounded 37 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 6

Gentle 11 · Charged 30 · Intense 25

Steady 15 · Shifting 40 · Whiplash 11

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 31 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 16

Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 36 · Relentless 4

Casual 29 · Engaged 36 · Full focus 1

A split, not a type: Easy watch 24 · Affecting 23 · Heavy 19

Resolved 49 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

51 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 18 of 51 analyzed roles.

Shadow
18 of 51
Hero
13 of 51
Ally
7 of 51
Mentor
6 of 51
Shapeshifter
3 of 51
Trickster
2 of 51
Threshold guardian
2 of 51
Show the 51 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
48
Absurd
20
Warm
20
Melancholic
22
Joyful
11
Other
68

How their films end · 13 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet37
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous10

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Billy Bob Thornton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 58 of their 88 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Subscription and free streaming for Billy Bob Thornton's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

112 credits, 88 with a MovieCove page; 52 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Electric State(2025)

    as Voice (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Landman(2024)

    Show 20 episodes · Executive Producer · as Tommy Norris

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Devil's Peak(2023)

    Producer · as Charlie McNeely

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Walk, Don't Run: The Story of The Ventures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Help Her Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Thanks

  • The Gray Man(2022)

    as Fitzroy

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • 1883(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Marshal Jim Courtright

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Hollywood.Con (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Boxmaster

  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Harley Quinn(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Bob Thornton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • A Million Little Pieces(2018)

    as Leonard

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • London Fields(2018)

    as Samson Young

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Bad Santa 2(2016)

    as Willie Soke

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Goliath(2016)

    Show 32 episodes · Director · as Billy McBride

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • IRON WILL: Veterans Battle with PTSD (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Narrator

  • Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Whiskey Tango Foxtrot(2016)

    as General Hollanek

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Our Brand Is Crisis(2015)

    as Pat Candy

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • Entourage(2015)

    as Larsen McCredle

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Into the Grizzly Maze(2015)

    as Douglass

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
  • The Judge(2014)

    as Dwight Dickham

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Cut Bank(2014)

    as Stan Steeley

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • The Robot Chicken: Bitch Pudding Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Grandpappy Schlorp (voice)

  • Fargo(2014)

    Show 10 episodes · as Lorne Malvo · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
  • Parkland(2013)

    as Forrest Sorrels

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Jayne Mansfield's Car(2012)

    Director · Screenplay · as Skip Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • The Baytown Outlaws(2012)

    as Carlos

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Puss in Boots(2011)

    as Jack (voice)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • The Smell of Success(2009)

    as Patrick

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • The King of Luck(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Nashville Rises (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Narrator

  • Harry Dean Stanton: Crossing Mulholland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Faster(2010)

    as Cop

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • The Informers(2008)

    as William Sloan

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • Eagle Eye(2008)

    as Thomas Morgan

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • The Big Bang Theory(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Oliver Lorvis

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
  • Mr. Woodcock(2007)

    as Jasper Woodcock

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • The Astronaut Farmer(2006)

    as Charles Farmer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • 2006 St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Heaven: A World Championship Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator

  • 2006 St. Louis Cardinals: The Official World Series Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator

  • NFL: Favre 4 Ever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • School for Scoundrels(2006)

    as Dr. P

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • VH1 Rock Honors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Ice Harvest(2005)

    as Vic

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Bad News Bears(2005)

    as Morris Buttermaker

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Bob Thornton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Friday Night Lights(2004)

    as Coach Gary Gaines

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Other Voices (voice)

  • The Alamo(2004)

    as Davy Crockett

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Chrystal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Joe

  • Bad Santa(2003)

    as Willie

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Intolerable Cruelty(2003)

    as Howard D. Doyle

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Love Actually(2003)

    as The US President

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Narrator

  • Levity(2003)

    as Manuel Jordan

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • Waking Up in Reno(2002)

    as Lonnie Earl Dodd

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Widespread Panic: Panic In the Streets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • The Badge(2002)

    as Sheriff Darl

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • Monster's Ball(2001)

    as Hank Grotowski

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Daddy and Them(2001)

    Director · Writer · as Claude Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Man Who Wasn't There(2001)

    as Ed Crane

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Bandits(2001)

    as Terry Lee Collins

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Camouflage(2001)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • The Gift(2000)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • All the Pretty Horses(2000)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery(2001)

    as Hound Dog McDog / CatDog's Step-father (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • The Last Real Cowboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Story · as Tar

  • South of Heaven, West of Hell(2000)

    as Brig. Smalls

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Down from the Mountain(2000)

    as Audience Member

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Pushing Tin(1999)

    as Russell Bell

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • A Simple Plan(1998)

    as Jacob Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Armageddon(1998)

    as Dan Truman

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Homegrown(1998)

    as Jack Marsden

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • CatDog(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as CatDog's Father (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows
  • Primary Colors(1998)

    as Richard Jemmons

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • The Apostle(1997)

    as Troublemaker

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • U Turn(1997)

    as Darrell

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • A Gun, a Car, a Blonde(1997)

    as Syd / Monk

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
  • King of the Hill(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Boyce Hubert (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • The Winner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Jack

  • Sling Blade(1996)

    Director · Screenplay · Theatre Play · as Karl Childers

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Don't Look Back(1996)

    Story · Writer · as Marshall

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • A Family Thing(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Dead Man(1995)

    as Big George Drakoulious

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Out There(1995)

    as Jailbird

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Floundering (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Gun Clerk

  • Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Writer · as Karl Childers

  • On Deadly Ground(1994)

    as Homer Carlton

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Tombstone(1993)

    as Johnny Tyler

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Indecent Proposal(1993)

    as Day Tripper

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • The Killing Box(1993)

    as Langston

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Blood in Blood Out(1993)

    as Lightning

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Trouble Bound(1993)

    as Coldface

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Hearts Afire(1992)

    Show 54 episodes · as Billy Bob Davis

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows
  • One False Move(1991)

    Writer · as Ray Malcolm

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • For the Boys(1991)

    as Marine Sergeant, Korea

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • The Dark Backward(1991)

    as Patron at Sloppy's

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Evening Shade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Alvin

  • The Outsiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 10 episodes · as Buck Merrill

  • Going Overboard(1989)

    as Dave

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • South of Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Counterman

  • Hunter's Blood(1986)

    as Billy Bob

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Pawnshop Clerk

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Timberman

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
  • This Week in Baseball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Somedays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 112 titles, 111 of them dated from 1977 to 2026; peak year 2002.

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19772026

Peak 2002 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 36 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 4 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting104 of 112: 95 only acting, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdDirecting7 of 112: 2 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score45thWriting10 of 112: 3 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing2 of 112: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew2 of 112: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

112 titles, 10 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s6 · acting1990s32 · 31 acting · 5 crew2000s35 · 31 acting · 6 crew2010s25 · 23 acting · 4 crew2020s11 · 10 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 33% of 55 roles
899499040914

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

an Oscar, 2 Golden Globes and 3 other major awards from 22 major nominations, 1993–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Drama Series
  2. 2025
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series - Drama
  3. 2017
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
  4. 2015
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
  5. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
  6. 2012
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
  7. 2004
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  8. 2002
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Show 3 earlier years
  1. 1999
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actor
  2. 1997
    • Oscar, won · Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Writers Guild Award, won · Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best First Feature
  3. 1993
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Billy Bob Thornton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 76; across their 66 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Midcredits score across 88 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th24
  • Below 25th15

Shape of the crowd

30 of their 88 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser30
  • Broadly Agreed14
  • Mixed27

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 61 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Billy Bob Thornton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 43 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore32 titles32–88 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity43 titles17–70 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity39 titles37–87 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs29 titles30–87 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense30 titles23–79 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Billy Bob Thornton work with?

People who share at least 2 of Billy Bob Thornton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tom Epperson shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles