Why Billy Bob Thornton Is 'Happy' He Wasn't a Star in His 20s

Billy Bob Thornton might be an acclaimed actor with decades of great work under his belt, but the Arkansas native still maintains a down-to-earth approach to fame. 

When looking back on his accomplished career in a new interview with Fox News, Thornton confessed he's glad his mainstream breakout didn't come in his early years on screen. 

"I'm happy that I became well known or successful—whatever you want to call it—in my 30s," Thornton said. "I think if it had happened when I was 18 or 21, who knows if I'd even be here now because I was a little bit looser back in those days."

"I think if I had been nominated for an Academy Award when I was 21, who knows what I would have done with it?" he added.

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In the 1970s, in his teen years and early 20s, Thornton played the drums in a blues rock band called Tres Hombres; he even has a tattoo with his old band's name on it. They released their only album, Gunslinger, in 1983. In 1985, Thornton linked up with the South African rock band Jack Hammer and joined the group for their 1986 album Death of a Gypsy.

He then moved into the world of acting after spending more than a decade as a musician. His first on-screen role was in 1986's Hunter's Blood, but it wasn't until his 1996 directorial debut Sling Blade, which won him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and a nomination for Best Actor, where he became a household name. 

Related: Why Billy Bob Thornton Prefers to Wear Women's Jeans

Ultimately, this long road to widespread recognition ended up being a blessing in disguise, calling his time in the music industry "a big blast." 

"I'm kind of happy about that because I grew up in the music business, so I was already familiar with being in the entertainment business, but not to that degree," he concluded. "I think growing up as a musician helped me prepare for some of it because we could be local heroes, sometimes as musicians or regional. But this was a big blast."

New episodes of Thornton's latest series, the Taylor Sheridan brainchild Landman, stream every Sunday on Paramount+.