Preview | Billy Bob Thornton Master Class will explore beyond his gritty performances

Viewers will get to know the artist behind the character at a Feb. 23 virtual Master Class with Billy Bob Thornton through Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Photo courtesy of Matt Mazur

Billy Bob Thornton is known for playing some of the most deep and nitty gritty characters Hollywood has to offer. From his roles in "Bad Santa," "Goliath," "One False Move" and many more, the Academy Award-winning actor, writer and director has made his presence known for the last thirty years in both the realms of drama and comedy.

Joseph Rosenberg will be moderating the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts’ next Master Class with Billy Bob Thornton via Zoom Feb. 23. Here, Chapman students will be able to get to know the Hollywood veteran better, gain insight into how Thornton made a name for himself and hopefully walk away feeling inspired. 

When Rosenberg was first asked to moderate the interview, he immediately said “yes” because of his long-time admiration for Thornton. 

“I think (Thornton’s) a maverick; he’s someone who walks to the beat of his own drum,” Rosenberg said. “He's this iconic indie filmmaker, and yet he's this wonderful presence in mainstream content — whether it's 'Bad Santa', or starring in 'Goliath' or making his own films where it's really about his vision.”

Rosenberg told The Panther that the best actors are the ones where you cannot tell they are acting because they truly embody the character. He said he ranks Thorton among the best actors — claiming this is what Thornton knows how to pull off well. 

“Sometimes you'll watch him, and you forget it's Billy Bob Thornton; he's just the character in the movie or the show,” Rosenberg said. 

Lucas Brawner, a junior screenwriting major, said Thornton’s mannerisms are what really draw him into his characters and sets him apart from other actors. 

“He has this piercingly calm demeanor that can be really charming, yet really intimidating and scary,” Brawner said. “He ends up being so incredibly scary in his villain roles because it's really hard to read him, and he just has this relaxing demeanor that just pulls you in.”

Nina Gee, a sophomore screenwriting major, said her favorite performance from Thorton is in "Armageddon." She said Thornton chillingly plays Dan Truman, the head of NASA, navigating how to deal with the discovery of a Texas-sized asteroid heading toward Earth. 

“(Thornton) plays such a dark character (in ‘Armageddon’),” Gee said. “I just think he's a little bit unhinged, and I respect that.”

Gee has even written a romantic comedy featuring Billy Bob Thornton playing himself. In the story, he serves as a mentor who gives advice to the protagonist of her film. As a screenwriting major, Gee said she enjoys the Chapman Master Classes with actors, because she wants to get insight into what helps actors connect to a character. 

“Just hearing what is helpful for (actors) when they interpret scripts, build characters from themselves and go through what they go through during production is helpful in our writing,” Gee said. 

Brawner reiterated the same sentiment, explaining he anticipates Thornton’s insight will be useful for discovering what actors seek out in a script before accepting a role, especially with actors such as Thorton who can make a character his own.

“I guarantee you that things (are usually) pretty minimal on the page, and (Thornton) brings so much more out,” Brawner said. “He has all these little mannerisms that you can only bring when you have the creative space to do something.” 

Rosenberg said he hopes that the interview will help him truly get to know who Thornton is outside of his roles. 

“I'd like to get in and really connect with him on a human level,” Rosenberg said. “My hope is that, in the connection, he'll feel comfortable enough to be who he is. Which gives you, the students, sort of an insider's perspective on who he is. And that goes for anyone that we have (for a Master Class).”

With most Dodge students hoping to break into the industry, Rosenberg said he would like these Master Classes to help students see they can have successful careers in the film industry just like the professionals they bring in. 

“The possibilities are limitless; you can have it all if you want it,” Rosenberg said. “Hopefully, when you hear other people's stories, and they share what went into certain decisions, and you listen to them talk about their process, you'll walk away with having learned something. Nobody walked into Hollywood and had it made. You have to start somewhere.”

Tune into the Billy Bob Thornton masterclass at 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday via Zoom.