Billy Bob Thornton’s Top 15 Movies & TV Shows Ranked

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I’ve been really hooked on Landman, and it’s awesome to see Billy Bob Thornton getting so much praise for his role as Tommy Norris. Apparently, over 9 million people watched the second season premiere – that’s huge! But honestly, while Landman is great, it’s just the latest example of how consistently fantastic Thornton is. He’s been killing it in TV and movies for years, and this role is just adding to a really impressive career.

Now that Billy Bob Thornton is starring in season two of Landman, many new viewers are probably curious about his other work. He’s been acting for over 40 years, appearing in a wide variety of movies and TV shows.

You know, looking back at Billy Bob Thornton’s career, I’ve noticed a pattern in his most memorable roles. He doesn’t really like being called a “bad boy” of Hollywood, but honestly, a lot of the characters he plays feel like they built that image. Think about it – that rebellious lawyer, the woman getting revenge on her abuser, even his totally twisted Santa Claus – they all have that edge. It’s like he’s drawn to playing people who break the rules, and it’s fantastic.

Over the last ten years, Billy Bob Thornton has consistently delivered some of his strongest work in television. His role in Landman is just the newest example, and these TV performances are now just as important to how he’s remembered as an actor as his work in films.

15. Armageddon

1998

Billy Bob Thornton gained widespread recognition for his role in the hugely popular 1990s disaster film, Armageddon, directed by Michael Bay. While scientists have pointed out inaccuracies in the movie’s depiction of preventing a comet from destroying Earth, it remains one of the decade’s biggest box office hits.

Thornton portrays Dan Truman, a NASA scientist who proposes a daring plan: drilling into a comet and using a nuclear bomb to shatter it. While the role stretched him as an actor, he delivered a strong performance, even though his character takes a backseat to Bruce Willis’s.

14. Tombstone

1993

Although Billy Bob Thornton’s part in Tombstone wasn’t huge, the film is still considered a turning point in his career. It showcased his talent and put him alongside established Western stars like Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, and Sam Elliott.

Actually, his role in Landman started with this earlier film. Thornton played a character based on Johnny Tyler, a real-life gambler from the Old West, who opposed the Earp brothers (played by Kurt Russell, Wyatt Earp, and Bill Paxton). It was a perfect fit for Thornton; the role seemed tailor-made for his on-screen personality.

13. Love Actually

2003

Okay, let’s talk about Love Actually. The cast is frankly ridiculous – seriously, any other romantic comedy director would kill for this ensemble. But Billy Bob Thornton… he’s a bit of a wild card amongst all those British acting legends. He plays the President of the United States, and his storyline isn’t about policy – it’s about a definite attraction to the British Prime Minister’s assistant, all while trying to negotiate a deal between the US and the UK.

The film’s charming and assertive American president is a perfect match for Hugh Grant’s clumsy but kind-hearted British Prime Minister. While the movie isn’t perfect – particularly how it handles Martine McCutcheon’s character and her storyline with the American president – it has deservedly become a beloved holiday classic that people enjoy watching again and again.

12. Friday Night Lights

2004

Before the popular TV series redefined sports dramas, Billy Bob Thornton starred as a determined high school football coach in this enjoyable film, directed by Peter Berg. Friday Night Lights tells the real-life story of the Permian High School Panthers in Odessa, Texas.

As a film lover, I’m always drawn to movies that really capture a sense of small-town America, and this one nails it. It’s amazing how the whole town’s identity revolves around this group of young, amateur athletes. Billy Bob Thornton delivers a fantastic, deeply human performance – it’s a film I’d happily revisit, even though a popular TV show has come out since that covers similar ground.

11. Chrystal

2004

Ray McKinnon, known for his role as the quirky Lincoln Potter in Sons of Anarchy, wrote and directed Chrystal, a moving and intensely personal film about making amends. It stars Billy Bob Thornton as Joe, a man grappling with the consequences of a car accident that resulted in his son’s death and his wife’s paralysis, and who has been convicted of related crimes.

Despite a past betrayal, the main character remains married to Joe and works hard to fix their relationship. However, he’s pulled back into his old criminal life. Though it can be tough to watch, Chrystal is a strong, overlooked drama that deserves a wider audience.

10. Monster’s Ball

2001

Halle Berry gives one of her most powerful performances in Monster’s Ball, a film that deeply explores difficult questions about justice, consequences, and how past mistakes affect families. Billy Bob Thornton is equally compelling as Hank Grotowski, a tough prison guard, and his performance perfectly balances Berry’s portrayal of the troubled Leticia Musgrove.

The actors’ nuanced performances are key to understanding both characters, even when they act in hurtful ways. Though Halle Berry won an Oscar for her role as Leticia, Alan Thornton’s performance as Hank, while deserving, wasn’t recognized with a nomination.

9. The Apostle

1997

Robert Duvall gives one of his finest performances in this heartwarming story about a preacher in the Deep South who unites people of different races in his church. Despite its quality, the film remains surprisingly overlooked compared to Duvall’s more famous roles.

I always enjoy seeing Billy Bob Thornton in a movie, and even though his role here isn’t huge, he’s a surprisingly effective villain. It’s these smaller, memorable performances that really caught my attention early on, and I think they’re what eventually led to his fantastic work in Fargo years later. He just has a knack for making an impact, no matter how much screen time he gets!

8. Landman

2024–Present

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Despite a somewhat rocky start to its second season, Landman seems poised to succeed, largely thanks to Billy Bob Thornton’s continued involvement. Thornton delivers a captivating performance as Tommy Norris, establishing him as a memorable and complex antihero on television today.

It’s clear the role was written specifically for Walton, and he embodies it more naturally than in any of his other famous films. Beyond his convincing cowboy attitude and Southern charm, Landman showcases Thornton’s comedic talent, proving he’s genuinely funny when he chooses to be.

7. Bad Santa

2003

What makes Bad Santa so brilliant isn’t just its rebellious take on Christmas; it’s the chance it gave Billy Bob Thornton to create a truly unique holiday character. He fully embraced the role and had as much fun with it as Will Ferrell did in Elf.

Willie T. Soke is such a likable character because he’s so unconcerned with everything around him. However, this rebellious Santa Claus wouldn’t be effective if he didn’t seem genuine. Thornton deserves all the praise for making the character feel so real and believable.

6. A Simple Plan

1998

This intense 1990s crime film has been unfairly overlooked. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a troubled man caught up in a classic noir story about stolen money and a dangerous secret. His character, Jacob Mitchell, sets off a chain of events that ultimately lead to tragedy for him.

In A Simple Plan, Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton, who previously starred together in Tombstone, deliver compelling performances. Thornton is perfectly cast in his role, and it’s hard to picture anyone else playing it.

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2025-11-22 17:41