Billy Bob Thornton explains why he didn't take villainous roles in Spider-Man and Mission Impossible 3, saying "audiences it forever." Since the late 1990s, the actor has been known for playing complex, often flawed, and gritty characters in films and TV shows, ranging from intense dramas like Sling Blade to dark comedies like Bad Santa. However, there are some massive movies that he turned down. Thornton currently stars in Taylor Sheridan's new Paramount+ series Landman as Tommy Norris, the titular landman at an oil company.

In an episode of The Playlist's Bingeworthy podcast, Billy Bob Thornton talked about why he turned down villainous roles as Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and as Owen Davian in Mission Impossible 3. For Spider-Man, he simply didn't want to get up early and go through "five or six hours of makeup." For Mission Impossible, he "didn’t want to be the guy trying to kill Tom Cruise." Read Thornton's full explanation below:

I don’t have much interest in those kinds of roles. With the Green Goblin, I didn’t feel like getting up at 4am for five or six hours of makeup. And with Mission: Impossible III, I didn’t want to be the guy trying to kill Tom Cruise. If you’re the bad guy in a big movie like that, audiences it forever. I prefer to keep things looser and less predictable.

What Billy Bob Thornton's Comments Mean For His Career

He's Tried To Avoid Being Typecast

Billy Bob Thornton burst onto the scene in 1996 by writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama Sling Blade. For his performance as a mentally disabled man who inexplicably murders his mother and her lover, Thornton received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, though he won for Best Adapted Screenplay. Following the success of Sling Blade, Thornton took on several prominent film roles, such as Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan, with his performance as another morally gray character earning him an Oscar nomination for Best ing Actor.

Following the success of 2003's Bad Santa, in which he plays a malicious mall Santa, Thornton talked about his tendency to be typecast, saying audiences "like to watch him play that kind of guy" and that "casting directors call him up when they need an asshole." He continued, "It's kinda that simple... you know how narrow the imagination in this business can be." Based on his comments, Thornton has clearly tried to avoid being typecast as a bad guy throughout his career, even turning down villainous roles as Green Goblin in Spider-Man and as Owen Davian in Mission Impossible 3.

Our Take On Billy Bob Thornton Playing Bad Guys

It's When He's At His Best

Though Billy Bob Thornton has tried to avoid being typecast as bad guys, it's when he's at his best, including his Oscar-nominated performances as morally ambiguous characters in Sling Blade and A Simple Plan. Another highlight of his character was playing the hitman Lorne Malvo in Fargo season 1, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. While Billy Bob Thornton has tried to avoid being typecast as bad guys, his performances as villains or morally ambiguous characters often stand out as his most compelling work.

Landman airs new episodes Sundays on Paramount+.

Source: The Playlist