Jurassic Park Star on Fiancé Leaving Her for Angelina Jolie Before Her Brad Pitt Affair: ‘It’s like a sudden death’

SUMMARY

• Laura Dern was engaged to Billy Bob Thornton until the actor secretly married Angelina Jolie.
• The duo eventually broke up because of differences in interests and goals.
• Jolie and Brad Pitt’s ongoing divorce battle remains complicated due to issues on properties and allegations of abuse.

Laura Dern recalled the bitter experience she had after watching her relationship with Billy Bob Thornton crumble to dust because of his affair with Angelina Jolie. The Jurassic Park actress was engaged to the man – they dated between 1997 and 1999 – until the actor decided to marry Jolie without even informing his fiancée.

Credits: Laura Dern in Jurassic World Dominion / Universal Pictures

Jolie is presently dealing with her divorce from ex-husband Brad Pitt and even struggling to settle their issues pertaining to their shared properties and businesses, but even before their controversial split, the Maleficent star already had her fair share of affairs and breakups.

Billy Bob Thornton Married Angelina Jolie While Engaged to Laura Dern

Billy Bob Thornton and Laura Dern’s romance began in 1997 after the actress split from Jeff Goldblum and the former’s divorce from his fourth wife, Pietra Dawn Cherniak. Soon after, they got engaged, and in 1999, the awarded filmmaker met Angelina Jolie on the set of Pushing Tin.

Credits: Billy Bob Thornton in Jimmy Kimmel Live

Thornton and Jolie played husband and wife in the movie, and they also got romantically involved in real life which resulted in a spontaneous wedding. The announcement shocked the world, but no one was more dumbfounded than Dern herself. She told Talk magazine (via ABC News):

I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married, and I’ve never heard from him again. It’s like a sudden death. For no one has there been any closure or clarity.

If it’s any consolation, Jolie and Thornton’s romance did not last long. They called it quits in the summer of 2002 without even knowing why they actually broke up. In an interview with the Associated Press via EW, he told reporters: “I don’t think either one of us knows why we split up.”

He only explained in later interviews that their different lifestyles got in the way of their marriage, although he did not regret one bit of it because the relationship served a purpose in his life.

The Salt actress echoed the same answer when she mentioned her desire to pursue interests such as traveling a lot to Cambodia and adopting a child while Thornton hoped to focus on his music and films.

Dern eventually married Ben Harper in 2005, but unfortunately divorced in 2013. Meanwhile, Thornton tied the knot with makeup effects crew member Connie Angland in 2014.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Messy Divorce Remains Unsettled

Credits: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in By The Sea / Universal Pictures

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s ongoing eight-year separation issue continues to be the subject of headlines as the ex-pair remains locked in a complicated web of legal proceedings since 2016. The actress cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split, but further reports claim there had been a case of abuse.

The New York Times detailed the contents of the actress’ complaint where “Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her.” Moreover, the ownership matter of their French winery estate remains unsettled.

Written by Ariane Cruz

Articles Published: 2581

Ariane Cruz, Senior Writer. She has been contributing articles for FandomWire since 2021, mostly covering stories about the latest movies and series. With a degree in Communication Arts, she has an in-depth knowledge of print and broadcast journalism. Her other works can also be seen on Screen Rant and CBR.