Meet Pietra Dawn Cherniak, the ex-wife of actor Billy Bob Thornton
Model Pietra Dawn Cherniak was actor Billy Bob Thornton's fourth wife before his highly profile marriage to Angelina Jolie. They were together for four years in the 1990s and welcomed two sons. Pietra and Thornton's divorce was far from amicable, with accusations of domestic abuse and a rumoured affair.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Pietra Dawn Cherniak tied the knot with Billy Bob Thornton in 1993, and they divorced in 1997.
- The ex-couple welcomed two sons, William Thornton and Harry Thornton.
- Pietra is a former Playboy model, born and raised in Santa Monica, California.
Pietra Dawn Cherniak's profile summary
| Full name | Pietra Dawn Cherniak |
| Date of birth | February 9, 1970 |
| Age | 55 years old (as of August 2025) |
| Place of birth | Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m/165 cm) |
| Husband | Billy Bob Thornton (1993-1997) |
| Children | Harry James Thornton, William Thornton |
| Profession | Former Playboy model |
Inside Pietra Dawn Cherniak and Billy Bob Thornton's four-year marriage
Billy Bob Thornton started dating Pietra Dawn Cherniak after his divorce from actress Cynda Williams in 1992. They had met in 1991 outside an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. The pair exchanged vows on February 18, 1993, when a young Pietra was 23 years old and Thornton was 37 years old.
The couple settled in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. In a February 1996 interview with People, Pietra said that Thornton would never do anything "to make me question the integrity of our marriage", but things changed a year later.
In early 1997, Thornton was rumoured to be having an affair with actress Laura Dern, whom he met when they guest-starred on an episode of the ABC sitcom Ellen. The actor denied the rumours, according to People, but he would later get engaged to the actress.
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Pietra and Thornton had a messy divorce
Cherniak filed for divorce from Billy Bob on April 11, 1997, citing irreconcilable differences. The then-27-year-old Playboy alum also filed a restraining order against the Sling Blade actor, claiming domestic abuse. Thornton denied his ex-wife's accusations.
In January 1998, Pietra posed for Playboy as a 'declaration of independence' and to raise domestic violence awareness. She told the magazine that Thornton was charming when they first met, but he had a dark side.
I want people to notice me and hear my message: Women must escape bad relationships.
Pietra and Thornton seemed to have reconciled a few years later. In a May 2003 interview with Playboy's editor David Sheff, the Bad Santa actor revealed that Cherniak was one of his closest friends, and they were co-parenting well. She even joined him when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in October 2004.
We were silly little kids who argued. And anyway, when we separated, the case got resolved. I'm as close to her now as anybody, though not as close as the rags say. They say we're back together. She and I laugh about it.
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Pietra and Billy Bob Thornton had two sons
Billy and Cherniak's firstborn, William Langston Thornton, was born on June 27, 1993. He was named after his father, whose full name is William Robert Thornton. In 2016, he worked with his famous dad in the film Bad Santa 2 as his assistant.
Pietra and Billy Bob's second son, Harry James Thornton, was born on June 19, 1994. He is a luxury real estate agent and runs the Beverly Hills-based agency, Thornton Group. In 2022, he appeared in the E! reality series Relatively Famous: Ranch Rules.
Thornton and Cherniak are also doting grandparents. Their son Harry has two daughters, Mia and Nikita, whom he shares with his fiancée Magi Monet.
Harry and William seem to have a close relationship with their dad, Billy Bob Thornton. They have accompanied him on the red carpet several times, and Harry occasionally posts him on his Instagram.
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Billy Bob Thornton remarried Connie Angland
Thornton met Connie Angland in 2003 on the set of the movie Bad Santa, where Angland was working behind the scenes in the makeup and special effects department. They started dating soon after and welcomed their daughter, Bella Thornton, in September 2004.
Connie became Billy Bob Thornton's new wife over a decade later in October 2014. While describing the secret to their long-lasting relationship, the Monster's Ball actor told Fox News Digital in June 2025 that the base of their union is friendship and their daughter is their greatest bond.
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FAQs
How many ex-wives does Billy Bob Thornton have?
Billy Bob Thornton has five ex-spouses. He was married to his first wife, Melissa Lee Gatlin, from 1978 to 1980. They had one daughter, Amanda Brumfield, who was infamously imprisoned in 2011 for the accidental death of a friend's daughter.
Thornton married actress Toni Lawrence in 1986, and they divorced two years later in 1988. He was later married to actress Cynda Williams from 1990 to 1992, then to Pietra Dawn Cherniak from 1993 to 1997.
The actor's fifth wife was Angelina Jolie from 2000 to 2003. His marriage to the Maleficent actress was one of Billy Bob Thornton's most publicised relationships, and they famously wore vials of each other's blood. The exes remained on friendly terms after their divorce, but Billy shared in a 2016 GQ interview that he never felt good enough for Angelina.
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What is Billy Bob Thornton best known for?
Thornton is best known for his work in film and television, including the Oscar-winning Sling Blade (1996) as Karl Childers, Bad Santa 1 and 2 as Willie T. Soke, and Goliath (2016-2021) as Billy McBride. He is also a singer and the frontman of the rock and country band, The Boxmasters.
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Wrapping up
Billy Bob Thornton's ex-wife, Pietra Dawn Cherniak, has stayed out of the spotlight since divorcing the Hollywood star. It is unclear if she remarried after mending her relationship with Thornton.
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Briefly.co.za highlighted the marriage of comedian Woody Allen and his first wife, Harlene Rosen. The ex-couple married in the late 1950s when they were both teenagers.
Allen and Harlene's marriage turned rocky as soon as it started, and they divorced after six years. Rosen sued the comedian for defamation when he said demeaning things about her in his stand-ups.
Source: Briefly News
