Billy Bob Thornton has finally opened up about the end of his marriage to Angelina Jolie, revealing the true reason behind their divorce after 20 years of silence. The couple’s whirlwind romance captivated fans, but their 2003 split left many wondering what had gone wrong.

Thornton, in a candid interview, explained that their divorce was due to their vastly different lifestyles. Jolie, known for her global activism and extensive travel, was deeply committed to humanitarian causes, while Thornton preferred a more reclusive, agoraphobic lifestyle.

Thornton acknowledged that their differing ways of living created tension between them, ultimately leading to their separation after just three years of marriage.

In addition to lifestyle differences, Thornton opened up about his own insecurities during the marriage. He confessed that he felt overshadowed by Jolie’s rising fame, even though he was already an established actor. The pressure of being married to a global star made him feel inadequate, and he sometimes questioned whether he deserved to be with her. Thornton admitted that his insecurities played a major role in the breakdown of their relationship.

Despite their split, Thornton stressed that there was no animosity between them. He took full responsibility for the divorce, admitting that he “chickened out” due to his personal struggles. Thornton assured that he and Jolie remained friends after the divorce, and that there were no hard feelings between them. In fact, Jolie herself expressed respect for Thornton in a heartfelt note for his memoir, showing that despite their split, they still held mutual affection.

The media, however, often sensationalized their relationship, particularly their unconventional behavior, such as wearing vials of each other’s blood as necklaces. Thornton clarified that the media exaggerated their actions and that their relationship, though intense, was not as strange as it was portrayed.

The end of Thornton and Jolie’s marriage was not the first time the actor had gone through a troubled relationship. Before Jolie, Thornton had experienced multiple failed marriages.

His first marriage was to Melissa Lee Gatlin in 1978, with whom he had a daughter. Their marriage ended quickly, and Thornton’s relationship with his daughter became estranged. Thornton’s second marriage, to actress Tony Lawrence in the 1980s, lasted only two years. His third marriage to actress Cinda Williams also ended in divorce, although without much public drama.

In his fourth marriage to model Petra Donchermak, Thornton faced allegations of abuse, which he denied. Their marriage ended in 1997, and Thornton went on to marry Russian actress Petra Donchermak for a second time, but this relationship also ended in divorce. His sixth and final marriage, to special effects artist Connie Angland in 2014, seems to have provided the stability Thornton had long been searching for. Angland, who is described as a homebody, gave Thornton a sense of peace and grounding, and they have a daughter together.

Thornton’s complicated romantic history has been the subject of much public attention. He has openly joked about his multiple marriages, acknowledging the unusual nature of his personal life. However, it seems that his relationship with Angland has brought him the lasting stability he had long sought.