While currently one of TV’s biggest stars withLandmanandGoliathandFargobefore that,Billy Bob Thorntonwas one of the most unique movie stars on the big screen. With his one-of-a-kind southern drawl and effortless ability to shift from authority figure (seeArmageddon), to trodden-upon loser (his Oscar-nominated work inA Simple Plan), and conniving petty thief (of course,Bad Santa). But being an untraditional type for a leading man did not make the path to stardom easy for Thornton, whose big break didn’t come for nearly ten years into his career.
Despite memorable supporting roles in hits likeTombstoneandIndecent Proposal, Thornton became a leading man with the indie filmSling Blade, which he not only starred in, but directed and wrote himself. The tale of the mentally disabled Karl Childers (Thornton) returning to his hometown after twenty-five years in a psychiatric hospital doesn’t seem like a star-making turn,but Thornton’s incredible performance and idiosyncratic story madeSling Bladea surprise hitthat even took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay (for Thornton himself). But just as Thornton wasn’t an overnight success, neither wasSling Blade.
Billy Bob Thornton Developed ‘Sling Blade’ Piece by Piece for Years
Like many before and after him, Billy Bob Thornton was a struggling actor just trying to survive in Los Angeles, but he had no ambitions to write until one fateful night. On one of his jobs working as a waiter,Thornton toldStephen Colbert, he ran into one of the most celebrated writer-directors of all time:Billy Wilder(Sunset Boulevard,Some Like it Hot,The Apartment). Wilder and Thornton struck up a conversation, and when Thornton’s acting aspirations came up, Wilder started off with some harsh advice, saying, “You’re too ugly to be a leading man, but you’re too pretty to be a character actor.” When asked what he should do,Wilder encouraged Thornton to “write your own stories, create your own characters, make your own waybecause otherwise you’re standing on the sidewalk with everyone else. That’s how you get noticed.” Thornton proceeded to collaborate withTom Eppersonon a script that would become theBill Paxton-starringOne False Move(which Thornton had a supporting role in), but there was another character Thornton was developing in the background.
Thornton recalls the birth of Karl Childers as a serendipitous moment of creative inspiration whentelling the story onInside the Actor’s Studio. Influenced by two people in his life, Thornton says the character came to him when looking in the mirror after donning a period costume for a TV movie. He tells hostJames Liptonthat simply looking at his haircut and outfit in his reflection, the voice and story of Karl just came to him. After this divine inspiration,Thornton developed the character and story into a one-man theater showand eventually a short film entitledSome Folks Call It a Sling Blade(starringMolly Ringwaldas a student journalist interviewing Karl). The short film proved a successful tool to secure financing for what would become the feature film before beingbought by Miramax.Sling Bladereceived a prime award season release in November 1996 and went onto gross over 30 million dollars, creating a legacy that continues to this day.
Believe It or Not, One of Billy Bob Thornton’s Best Performances Was on ‘The Big Bang Theory’
The ‘Landman’ star might be the most surprising guest appearance in the CBS show’s history.
‘Sling Blade’ Created a Lasting Impact on Billy Bob Thornton’s Career
With Karl’s very specific vocal affect, he was a character that instantly became a fixture in pop culture. With lines like “French fried pataters,” “you shouldn’t have done that, he was just a boy,” and the iconic “mm-hmm,” comedies found ways to parodySling Bladefor years, be itEllen,Doctor Dolittle, andSouth Park.ButSling Bladeis more than just comedic riffs on its iconic character, because it’s a story that still holds depth to it. Karl is a man that society was happy to put aside, butSling Bladegets to the heart of this unique character and turns him from a passive man just ambling by into someone who will do the difficult but right thing.Sling Bladeis also a heart-warming story of this man that would otherwise be othered, being embraced by a found community made up of a young man looking for a father figure (Lucas Black), the boy’s mother who is dealing with an abusive relationship (Natalie Canerday), and the kindly Vaughan (John Ritter) who struggles to fit in as a gay man in a small town. Karl brings these people together and deepens their connections for an all-too-brief period of time.The film functions as an act of empathy, not only exploring the humanity of a person like Karl, but how people can flourish when they support one another.It is a sweet story that feels uniquely all its own because of Thornton’s specific point of view and approach.
Sling Bladelives on, whether it’s30 Rockreferencing it over ten years later or Thornton andKaley Cuocobonding over memories of John Ritter when he was a guest star onThe Big Bang Theory(Cuoco starred with Ritter on8 Simple Rules). Thornton taking his career into his own hands would soon be followed byMatt DamonandBen Affleck,who similarly wroteGood Will Huntingfor themselves and also took home an Oscar for Best Screenplay. While Thornton’s acting career never suffered, it’s unfortunate this remains the apex of his career as a filmmaker becausea terrible experience onAll the Pretty Horsesdiscouraged him from continuing a directing career.It’s a pity becauseSling Bladeshows a real understanding for character interiority that modern films could use nowadays.
