Why Billy Bob Thornton And Ex-Wife, Angelina Jolie, Wore Blood Vial Necklaces? Landman Star Explains

It has been more than two decades since Billy Bob Thornton parted ways with his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie. And now, the Landman star is finally clearing the air around his and the Maleficent star’s whirlwind romance. One particular rumour surrounding the former couple’s short but unforgettable marriage that continues to grab attention is the bizarre claim that they wore vials of each other’s blood around their necks.

Over the years, the “blood vial” story turned into one of Hollywood’s strangest legends, casting Jolie and Thornton as a gothic pair with a taste for the extreme. Now, as the 70-year-old actor returns to the spotlight with Landman season 2, he is finally addressing the long-standing rumours that spiralled into tabloid fiction.

Billy Bob Thornton shares the truth behind the necklaces

For those unaware, the former couple were often seen flaunting matching necklaces during their marriage, and Jolie even had Thornton’s name tattooed on her arm. Their dramatic bond made them famously intense and unconventional, but nothing topped the blood vial rumour. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Thornton addressed their brief marriage, explaining that he and Jolie never wore actual vials of blood, despite what fans have long believed. He said:

"We each had a little locket, literally with a drop of blood in them. That's a romantic little idea, and that's all that was. But by the time it's over, we're vampires. We live in a dungeon, we drink each other's blood, and this kind of stuff."

What’s the story behind the blood necklaces?

Thornton said the gesture was something Jolie suggested as a symbol of their bond. At the time, he was at the peak of his career, and Jolie was rising fast, which meant long periods apart for filming. The blood necklace was her way of keeping them close. In a 2014 E! News interview, Thornton recalled Jolie bringing clear lockets and a small kit so they could prick their fingers, smear a drop of blood inside, and wear them while apart. The actress said it would make them ‘feel close’ even when separated. In his words:

"[A] vial of blood is very simple. Angie came home one day with a kit she bought… She thought it would be interesting and romantic if we took a little razor blade and sliced our fingers, smeared a little blood on these lockets, and you wear it around your neck just like you wear your son or daughter's baby hair in one. Same thing. From that, we were wearing quart jars of blood around our necks."

However, what was supposed to be a private and romantic gesture soon became a topic of tabloid frenzy. Eventually, the ‘blood vial’ rumours broke into a full-blown gothic legend, with headlines claiming Thornton and Jolie wore blood–filled vessels, slept in coffins, and lived like vampires. But for the couple, it was more of an attempt to preserve their love, just the way many parents save their baby’s hair strands.

Inside Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie’s fast and intense romance

Thornton and Julie's romance was anything but ordinary. They first met in 1999 during the filming of Pushing Tin. Thornton was engaged to Laura Dern at that time, but fell in love with Jolly, and within a year of their meeting, the pair eloped to Las Vegas and married in 2000. 

Before they knew it, their relationship became tabloid gold, thanks to their PDA-filled red carpet moments, their cheeky interviews, and their unconventional expressions of love. However, their whirlwind romance was short-lived; the marriage lasted only until 2002, and in 2003, they were officially divorced. The former couple later cited their contrasting lifestyles as the reason for the split.

Despite all the gossip and tabloid drama, Thornton still insists his marriage to Jolie was one of the happiest phases of his life. Reflecting on their bond, Thornton told Rolling Stone that he and Jolie have remained “very, very close” over the years. The Landman star said:

“Angelina [Jolie] and I had a great time together. That was one of the greatest times of my life. She and I are still very, very close friends. And that was the one that ended up being a really civilised breakup. We simply split up because our lifestyles were so different.”

Their lives after the split

After the divorce, Angelina Jolie focused on her career and later fell for Brad Pitt, whom she met while filming Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2003. They reportedly began dating in 2006 after Pitt’s split from Jennifer Aniston and went on to welcome three children: Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne. They got married in 2014, and by September 2016, Jolie filed for divorce, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’. After years of legal battle and custody disputes, ‘Brangelina’ officially separated in December 2024.

Meanwhile, Billy Bob Thornton found lasting stability with puppeteer and special effects technician Connie Angland shortly after his split from Jolie. Although he once insisted he would never marry again after five divorces, he and Angland tied the knot in a small ceremony in 2014. The couple has been going strong ever since. Thornton says Connie was the one who brought stability to his life. Together, they share a daughter, Bella Thornton.

Now that the highly anticipated Landman 2 brought Thompton back into the spotlight, he is taking the opportunity to clear up the myths once again. What are your thoughts on the blood necklaces?

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