I like Billy Bob Thornton. Oh, I know, he can be a bit freaky in real life with the vial of blood around his neck (when he and Angelina were still together) and the fear of antiques (what is that all about?). But, I think he is an excellent actor with a certain kind of quirky charm.
However, could being in a film with him be harming his fellow co-stars? If you’ve read my blogs before, you know I enjoy the dark side of Hollywood, so how could I have missed the fact that some think there is a Billy Bob Thornton curse?
The curse reportedly began in 1996, when Thornton both starred in, wrote, and directed the Academy Award winning film, Sling Blade. One of his co-stars in the film was brilliant character actor J.T. Walsh. If you didn’t see Sling Blade, you might remember Walsh from A Few Good Men in which he played Lt. Col. Markinson. Anyhow, two short years after appearing in Sling Blade, Walsh died of a heart attack.
Next up was 2001’s Daddy and Them. Starring Thornton and Jim Varney, it was one of Varney’s last films before he died of lung cancer in 2000, before the film even hit the theaters. That was the same year Thornton starred in Monster’s Ball with rising star Heath Ledger. Ledger died in 2008 of an accidental drug overdose. Then, there was 2002’s Waking Up in Reno, which starred Thornton and Patrick Swayze. As you know, Patrick was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.
Following that was 2003’s Bad Santa. Here’s where the curse really starts to kick in. Bad Santa paired Thornton with John Ritter, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in September 2003 of an aortic dissection. Oh, by the way, Ritter had also appeared in Sling Blade with Thornton in what many considered to be a comeback role for him. The film also starred Bernie Mac, who just died this past August of complications brought on by pneumonia. Hum…
And the curse goes on. Also in 2003, Thornton starred in Levity with Morgan Freeman. Freeman was involved in a serious car wreck earlier this year. Thornton starred in 2008’s Eagle Eye with young actor Shia LaBeouf, who was also involved in a serious car wreck earlier this year that require extensive surgery on his left hand. That same year, Thornton appeared in The Informers with Brad Renfro, who died earlier this year of a drug overdose.
Now, maybe it is all just coincidence, but it still makes for good gossip!