The Unseen Lives: A Deep Dive Into Billy Bob Thornton's Four Very Different Kids, From Beverly Hills Real Estate To A Wrongful Conviction Release
Few Hollywood figures are as enigmatic and multi-talented as Billy Bob Thornton, but his public persona often overshadows the complex, private lives of his four children. As of December 2025, the children—Amanda, William, Harry, and Bella—range in age from their early 20s to their mid-40s, each navigating a profoundly different path that reflects the diverse chapters of their father’s life and six marriages.
From a Beverly Hills real estate agent and a daughter just starting college to a son who actively shuns the spotlight, the Thornton legacy is a tapestry of varied experiences. The most compelling and recent development involves his eldest daughter, Amanda Brumfield, whose highly publicized legal battle concluded with a release from prison due to a wrongful conviction, bringing a quiet but significant closure to one of the family’s most challenging periods. This article explores the current lives and unique stories of all four of Billy Bob Thornton’s children.
Billy Bob Thornton: A Comprehensive Biographical Profile
William Robert "Billy Bob" Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, singer-songwriter, and musician known for his versatility and distinctive screen presence.
- Full Name: William Robert Thornton
- Born: August 4, 1955
- Birthplace: Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
- Age: 70 (as of December 2025)
- Occupations: Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, Singer-Songwriter
- Key Career Milestones: Won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his 1996 film Sling Blade, which he also directed and starred in. He received further critical acclaim for roles in films like A Simple Plan and the TV series Fargo and The Landman.
- Music Career: He is the lead vocalist and drummer for the American rock band, The Boxmasters, which he co-founded in 2007.
- Marriages: Thornton has been married six times. His most publicized marriage was to actress Angelina Jolie, though he has children with three of his partners: Melissa Lee Gatlin, Pietra Dawn Cherniak, and Connie Angland.
The Four Children: A Look at Their Mothers and Current Lives
Billy Bob Thornton’s four children—Amanda, William, Harry, and Bella—were born across three different marriages, resulting in a wide age gap and starkly different life paths.
1. Amanda Brooke Brumfield (Daughter)
Amanda is Billy Bob Thornton’s eldest child, born from his first marriage to Melissa Lee Gatlin, which lasted from 1978 to 1980.
- Mother: Melissa Lee Gatlin
- Born: June 30, 1979
- Age: ~46 (as of December 2025)
- The Legal Battle and Release: Amanda’s life took a tragic turn when she was convicted of aggravated manslaughter of a child in 2011, a charge she consistently denied. However, in a significant and recent development, she was released from prison on September 4, 2020, after her conviction was overturned due to being deemed a wrongful conviction. The ruling, which was highlighted in recent news as of January 2025, was based on faulty evidence and legal advocacy, bringing an end to a painful chapter for the Thornton family. She is now a free woman, working to rebuild her life after nine years of wrongful incarceration.
2. William Langston Thornton (Son)
William is the first son born to Billy Bob Thornton and his third wife, former Playboy model Pietra Dawn Cherniak.
- Mother: Pietra Dawn Cherniak
- Born: June 27, 1993
- Age: ~32 (as of December 2025)
- Life Path: Unlike his famous father and younger brother, William Langston Thornton has intentionally chosen a life of discretion. He maintains a very private life away from the Hollywood machine and the celebrity spotlight, valuing independence and a low profile. His professional life is largely kept out of the media, reflecting a deliberate choice to forge his own path outside of the entertainment industry.
3. Harry James Thornton (Son)
Harry James is the second son from Billy Bob Thornton's marriage to Pietra Dawn Cherniak, born just a year after his older brother, William.
- Mother: Pietra Dawn Cherniak
- Age: ~31 (as of December 2025)
- Life Path: Harry has embraced a professional career in the high-stakes world of Beverly Hills real estate. He is a licensed agent, leveraging his connections and local knowledge in the competitive Los Angeles market. Harry is arguably the most public of the three adult children, often seen at family events and occasionally appearing in the media in relation to his real estate work, distinct from his father’s acting and music career with The Boxmasters.
4. Bella Thornton (Daughter)
Bella is Billy Bob Thornton’s youngest child, born from his long-term relationship and current marriage to special effects artist Connie Angland.
- Mother: Connie Angland (Current Wife)
- Age: ~21 (as of December 2025)
- Life Path: Bella was raised largely under the radar, away from the intense media scrutiny that followed her father’s earlier marriages, particularly his high-profile relationship with Angelina Jolie. Her father has described himself as a "helicopter parent," openly admitting to being very involved in her life. Recent reports from late 2024 confirmed that Bella recently left home to attend college, marking a major milestone for the family. She is known to be a passionate book lover with interests that include entomology (the study of insects), demonstrating a creative and intellectual curiosity.
The Dynamics of the Thornton Family: Wives, Fame, and Privacy
The lives of Billy Bob Thornton’s children are inextricably linked to his tumultuous and highly publicized personal history, which includes six marriages and a brief, intensely scrutinized union with Angelina Jolie.
The 20-plus year gap between his eldest daughter, Amanda, and his youngest, Bella, speaks volumes about the different environments in which they were raised. Amanda grew up before Thornton achieved global fame with Sling Blade and his subsequent high-profile relationships.
In contrast, Bella has been raised in a stable, long-term relationship with Connie Angland, who became Thornton’s sixth wife in 2014 after over a decade together.
Thornton has often spoken about his dedication to all his children, despite the challenges of his past. He credits his relationship with Connie Angland and their shared focus on Bella as the "key to successful marriage." This stability has allowed Bella to pursue a more traditional path to college, a stark contrast to the dramatic life events that have defined the paths of her older siblings.
The three older children, Amanda, William, and Harry, share a common bond of having Pietra Dawn Cherniak and Melissa Lee Gatlin as their mothers, women who were part of the actor's life during his rise to stardom. The decision by William to seek a private life, while Harry embraces the public-facing career of a Beverly Hills Real Estate Agent, highlights their individual attempts to reconcile their famous lineage with their own ambitions.
Ultimately, the story of Billy Bob Thornton’s kids is a reflection of his own complex journey: a mix of Hollywood glamour, artistic pursuits (like his band The Boxmasters), deep personal tragedy, and a continuous search for stability. As of late 2025, the family is centered around the quiet success of Harry, the new college journey of Bella, and the fresh start of Amanda after her exoneration, marking a new, hopeful chapter for the entire Thornton clan.
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