Billy Bob Thornton Survived on Powdered Donuts, Rum, and Free Pizza for a Year Before His Career Took Off
Anyone who has kept up with movies over the last 30 years is certainly familiar with Billy Bob Thornton. The actor has become a Hollywood icon for his daring performances and versatile choice of projects. But like many other stars, Thornton had to scrape by to survive before he hit it big. And his fans might be surprised how he survived through the year before stardom hit.
Billy Bob Thornton is an Oscar-winning star
Thornton first began landing movie and TV roles in the late 1980s. But it was the 1990s that saw him establish himself as a major Hollywood talent. The actor wrote and starred in 1992’s One False Move and then wrote, directed, and starred in 1996’s Sling Blade, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Throughout the 1990s and beyond, Thornton continued to appear in a wide range of hit movies, including Armageddon, Monster’s Ball, Bad Santa, Friday Night Lights, and Eagle Eye. Most recently, he appears in Netflix action-thriller The Gray Man with Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, which hit the streaming service in 2022.
Billy Bob Thornton faced a rough period before his big break
Long before he made it in Hollywood, Thornton shared a one-room apartment with writer Tom Epperson in Los Angeles. And as he told Oprah’s Master Class in 2014, the pair really struggled financially, paying $90 per week to keep their apartment. Thankfully, Epperson and Thornton got by thanks to a job at a local pizza restaurant where he made $96 per week. With the $6 left over, the two men would treat themselves to some rum and powdered donuts every Friday.
The rest of the time Thornton lived off of pizza from his day job. The restaurant provided a free personal pizza for workers on their lunch hour, but Thornton saved his until his shift was over each night. Despite the “constant fever of poverty and indecision and desperation,” Thornton said he and Epperson “weren’t fazed by it.” He credits this to the fact that “it wasn’t like [they] would be going back to something amazing” where they came from. So they stayed pursuing their dreams.
What is Billy Bob Thornton worth now?
Over the years, Thornton has proved himself not only a gifted actor but a screenwriter, producer, director, and even a musician. And though his personal life tends to get attention, he’s still carrying an impressive net worth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Thornton is worth roughly $45 million.
The cancelation of his popular Amazon Prime Video series Goliath could affect his bottom line. However, Thornton has never been one to wait around for what comes next. The actor already has a new movie in post-production. Where All Light Tends to Go – based on the book by David Joy – stars Thornton and Robin Wright. It’s expected to release sometime in 2023.
