The Four Distinct Paths: A Deep Dive Into Billy Bob Thornton's Children And Their Mothers

Few Hollywood figures boast a more colorful and complex personal life than Billy Bob Thornton, the Academy Award-winning actor, director, and musician. His six marriages have resulted in a diverse and fascinating family tree, culminating in four children whose lives span decades and have taken dramatically different paths. As of late 2025, the latest updates on his family reveal a life marked by both public scandal and quiet, domestic bliss, from a daughter's legal troubles to a youngest child heading off to college.

This article provides an in-depth, up-to-date look at the four children of Billy Bob Thornton, detailing who their mothers are, their current ages, and the unique stories that define their lives today. We will explore the full spectrum of his family life, from his first marriage in the late 1970s to his long-lasting relationship with his current wife, Connie Angland.

Billy Bob Thornton: A Complete Biographical Profile

Before diving into his family, here is a quick overview of the man whose life story has captivated audiences for decades:

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• Full Name: William Robert Thornton
• Date of Birth: August 4, 1955
• Age (as of late 2025): 70 years old
• Birthplace: Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
• Occupation: Actor, filmmaker, singer-songwriter, director, screenwriter
• Notable Works: Sling Blade (won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay), A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Bad Santa, and the TV series Fargo.
• Marriages: Six times, including a high-profile marriage to actress Angelina Jolie (2000–2003). His current wife is Connie Angland.
• Children: Four (two daughters and two sons).

The Four Children of Billy Bob Thornton: A Listicle Breakdown

Billy Bob Thornton’s four children—Amanda, William, Harry, and Bella—were born across three different decades and to three different mothers. Their journeys are a testament to the actor's long and varied personal history.

1. Amanda Brumfield (The Eldest Daughter)

Amanda Brumfield is the oldest of the Thornton children, whose life has been the most publicly scrutinized due to a tragic legal case. She was born at the very beginning of her father's adult life, before his rise to fame.

• Mother: Melissa Lee Gatlin (First Wife)
• Year of Birth: 1979
• Age (as of late 2025): Approximately 46 years old
• Current Status: Amanda's life took a devastating turn when she was convicted of aggravated manslaughter in 2011 for the death of her goddaughter in 2008. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Her father has publicly admitted that he was not around for her much when she was young, as his marriage to Melissa Lee Gatlin was short-lived.
• Key Entity: Melissa Lee Gatlin, Aggravated Manslaughter, Legal Troubles.

2. William Langston Thornton (The Musician)

Often known as Willy, William Langston Thornton is the first of Billy Bob’s two sons with his third wife, Pietra Dawn Cherniak. He has followed in his father's footsteps, exploring a career in the arts, particularly music.

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• Mother: Pietra Dawn Cherniak (Third Wife)
• Year of Birth: June 27, 1993
• Age (as of late 2025): 32 years old
• Career Path: William has pursued a career in music, though he has kept a relatively low profile compared to his younger brother. He is part of the generation of Thornton children who grew up while their father was an established Hollywood star, giving him a different upbringing than his older sister.
• Key Entity: Pietra Dawn Cherniak, The Boxmasters (Billy Bob's band), Music Career.

3. Harry James Thornton (The Public Personality)

Harry James Thornton is the younger of the two sons from Billy Bob’s marriage to Pietra Dawn Cherniak. He has embraced a more public persona than his siblings, often appearing on reality television and giving interviews about his famous family.

• Mother: Pietra Dawn Cherniak (Third Wife)
• Year of Birth: 1994 or 1995
• Age (as of late 2025): Approximately 30 or 31 years old
• Career Path: Harry is known for his work in the entertainment industry, having appeared on the reality show Relatively Famous: Ranch Rules. He has also been open about his relationship with his father, providing a unique perspective on growing up with a celebrity parent. He is often the most visible of the children in the media.
• Key Entity: Pietra Dawn Cherniak, Reality Television, Celebrity Offspring.

4. Bella Thornton (The College-Bound Daughter)

Bella Thornton is Billy Bob Thornton’s youngest child and only daughter with his current and sixth wife, Connie Angland. She represents a new chapter in the actor's life, as she was born when he was already in his late 40s and has been raised in a more stable, long-term marriage.

• Mother: Connie Angland (Sixth/Current Wife)
• Date of Birth: September 24, 2004
• Age (as of late 2025): 21 years old
• Current Status: In a recent update from late 2024, Billy Bob Thornton revealed that Bella had just left for college, a major life milestone. He also humorously referred to himself as a "helicopter parent" to her, highlighting his protective and hands-on approach to raising his youngest child, a stark contrast to his earlier parenting experience. She is known to be a book lover and was raised mostly under the radar.
• Key Entity: Connie Angland, Helicopter Parent, College Student, Angelina Jolie (as Connie is the wife who followed the high-profile relationship).

The Enduring Stability of Billy Bob’s Sixth Marriage

A significant part of the current narrative surrounding Billy Bob Thornton’s family life is his enduring relationship with his sixth wife, Connie Angland. After five previous marriages, including the famously passionate and brief union with Angelina Jolie, Thornton found lasting stability with Angland, a makeup artist.

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The couple began dating after his split from Jolie and were together for 12 years before finally tying the knot in 2014. Their daughter, Bella, was born a decade before they formally married, in 2004. This long-term commitment has provided a calm and consistent environment for Bella, which Thornton himself has credited with helping him overcome some of his past struggles and anxieties. The stability of this later-life marriage is a core theme in the actor's current personal narrative, offering a quiet counterpoint to the wilder, earlier days of his Hollywood career.

The current family dynamic, as of 2025, sees the elder children—Amanda, William, and Harry—navigating their adult lives and careers, while the youngest, Bella, is embarking on her college journey. The children, though separated by age and different mothers, remain connected through their shared, famously eccentric father, Billy Bob Thornton, who continues to balance his successful acting career with his role as a father of four very different adults.