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Tavis: I'm pleased to welcome to the program the multitalented Billy Bob Thornton. His impressive list of credits includes films like "Sling Blade," "Monster's Ball," "Primary Colors," and "Bad Santa." The Oscar winner's latest project is the new film "Friday Night Lights." The movie had a terrific opening this past weekend. Here now a scene from "Friday Night Lights."

Gary Gaines: You gotta accept the fact that people have to take care of themselves, and that includes you. You understand that?

Mike: Yes, sir.

Gaines: OK. The truth is, against is some pretty overwhelming odds, if you do decide to accept that--Look at me, Mike. If you decide to accept that, you're gonna seriously fly, son.

Tavis: Billy Bob, nice to see you, man. Glad to have you on. Billy Bob

Thornton: Thank you.

Tavis: I was telling my producer, Stephanie, who you met before you came out, who, by the way, is also from Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Thornton: That's right.

Tavis: Yeah. You don't meet a lot of folk in L.A. from Hot Springs, do you?

Thornton: Not very often. No.

Tavis: Ha ha ha!

Thornton: And if you do, they're usually asking you for money.

Tavis: Yeah. Yeah, well--

Thornton: That's right.

Tavis: Stephanie didn't ask you for money?

Thornton: She didn't--Well, not yet.

Tavis: Ha ha ha! Somehow I get asked that question--Every other Friday, I get asked that question by Stephanie. Anyway, I raise Stephanie's name because when she came in to talk to me before you arrived, she asked me what I thought of the movie. And I said to her, "You know, I'm going to have a really hard time in this conversation not just kissing Billy Bob's behind." 'Cause I am so in love with this film. It was such a wonderful, wonderful piece, and I left there thinking what I've seen a lot of critics write over the last few days, that this may very well be your finest piece of work. Now, I don't know how an actor judges that, but without kissing up too much, is this your best work so far?

Thornton: Uh, I'm probably not the best person to ask that question.

Tavis: Somehow I knew you were gonna say that.

Thornton: I don't know. I guess your best work is--It's in the, uh--in the minds and the eyes of other people, you know. They're the audience, and they're the ones who like what they like. I have my personal favorites. If I had to pick one thing that I think I did that I didn't even know if I could do it, frankly, the hardest part I ever played was probably in "The Man Who Wasn't There." And also a movie called "The Simple Plan." I would put those right up there. And then this one here, I mean, frankly, I didn't have to work very hard at it, because my dad was a coach, and, you know, I grew up in this stuff, so I didn't have to do a whole lot of homework for this part.

You know, it's just, you know, you just go out there, and you put a--you put a sweater on, and, you know, walk on the sideline, and just, you know, that way. My dad was a basketball coach in high school, and I was a baseball player growing up, so I was in athletics my whole life. And also played football through the 10th grade, so you know, it's--A coach is not a--It wasn't a real stretch. I'll put it that way. But however, I did enjoy playing the part.

Tavis: You said a number of things there that I gotta back up and to pick apart, two or three things I want to dissect out of what you just said, if I might. First of all, when you mentioned the films that you thought represent some of your best work because the roles were challenging for you, what about those parts or, for that matter, any part these days, represents the challenge for you?

Thornton: Well, sometimes, it's a part that you have to convey a real message, when it's your job to get the message across in the movie. In "The Man Who Wasn't There," for instance, I didn't say much. I mean, I said a lot in the voice-over, but as the character, I didn't say a bunch. And yet I had to carry the film. I was the lead of the movie, so I had to do something that got the spirit of the picture and also what was going on inside me across to people without words. In "A Simple Plan," I had to get to emotional places that were very hard to get to inside a person who--whose I.Q. and whose sort of worldview are in a lot of ways way shy of mine, you might say.

Tavis: That's a nice way of putting it. I was wondering how diplomatic you were gonna be in that description. You did a good job. Yeah.

Thornton: But, you know, it's when you literally have to become someone else, that's when it's--it's the hardest.

Tavis: When you mention that this particular character in "Friday Night Lights," this coach that you play, was not much of a stretch for you, I read somewhere--And I could be--I don't always believe everything I read, but I read that one thing that did represent a challenge for you was that the coach, the real coach, Coach Gaines, didn't want you to cuss in the film.

Thornton: That's right.

Tavis: Now, how difficult is it to be a coach--And we were talking before we came on the air about, you know, Bobby Knight. In a separate conversation about Coach Knight. It'd be kind of hard to play Bobby Knight and not cuss. How did you play--Ha ha! How did you play a coach of a bunch of high-school football players and not cuss throughout the whole film?

Thornton: It's not easy, I gotta tell you. We had--I blew a couple of takes. But, uh...it's pretty tough, I gotta tell you. Just as an exercise, people should try screaming at somebody someday without cursing. It's not easy.

Tavis: Yeah. My mom did a great job of it. All the years I grew with nine brothers. She screamed all day, every day, never said one cuss word, for 18 years growing up.

Thornton: That's a good point. My mom's real good at that, too. But, uh--Mom's pretty quiet for the most part, but, uh, yeah. I mean, it's just, well, especially, I mean, given the movies that I've done, too. I mean, like, you know, I'm coming off of, you know, movies like "Bad Santa" and things like that, where--

Tavis: A little cussing in that one.

Thornton: There's a little cussing in that one.

Tavis: Ha ha ha! Yeah.

Thornton: And it's--I'll just put it this way. It's a lot easier to yell at people if you're able to say whatever you want to say. But frankly, the hardest part of playing this coach was getting the plays right. They're not really in the movie. We shot a lot of--We shot a lot of coaching in the movie. As a matter of fact, if I can say, there's a--If I can say there's something that's not in the movie that I think should have been, is, uh, the coaching. Not just by me, but a lot of assistant coaches. A matter of fact, the assistant coaches in the movie, some of them were Gary Gaines' actual assistants.

Tavis: Did that experience make you--Even though you grew up with your dad, your dad died of cancer when you were just 18.

Thornton: Right.

Tavis: As I recall. Did doing this film--Even though you were with your dad all those years and were his--and was one of his primary caretakers there at the end of his life, did it make you have a greater appreciation of what your dad had done those years, growing up in his shadow and around him?

Thornton: Absolutely. A lot of what really hurt me and angered me about my father sort of, I don't know, came into a greater light from doing this character. You know, a lot of people say when they grow up, they understand a lot of what their parents were trying to say to them. I think after all these years--You know, like you said, my dad died when I was 18, and I'm, what, 23 now.

Tavis: Mm-hmm. Ha ha ha!

Thornton: It's been five long years, and, uh--but, uh, I, uh...actually understand a lot of what was going on in my dad's head now. And it's taken a long time, but I get him way more now, and playing this part made me feel real close to him. I've played my dad twice in a movie--the sort of gentler side of him in some instances, in this movie, you know, at least in terms of the home life, you know. And in "Monster's Ball," I played my father to a certain extent, and, uh, I even looked like my dad in that movie.

Tavis: What part of your dad were we seeing in "Monster's Ball"?

Thornton: A guy who was actually spiritually bigger than what his environment had allowed him to be. You know, it's the old "sins of the father" deal, you know. I mean, his father was a certain way and expected certain things out of him, and he just did it because that's the way it was, and I don't think my father was really that way. And as you see in "Monster's Ball," the guy turned out to not be that way, you know.

Tavis: Speaking of "Monster's Ball--" And I want to get back to "Friday Night Lights" in a second, but I've been waiting to ask you--And I don't want you to share private confidences, but what can you share with us about what you shared with Halle Berry when she won that Oscar, first African-American woman to win as Best Actress. Significant for her and, I suspect, as an African-American, significant for black people. But she did that, with all due respect to my friend Halle, playing opposite one Billy Bob Thornton, so you are gonna be in the history books on Halle Berry. What can you tell us about what you said to Halle after she won that Oscar. How'd that make you feel?

Thornton: Well, I was very proud for her, obviously, you know. And I thought she did an amazing job in the movie. One of the things that I was proud of was the fact that they allowed her--I was proud of Marc Forster, the director, and everybody else involved that they allowed her to play the part, because, you know, in a movie like that, a lot of times--You know, Halle is known as a sort of a beautiful movie star, you know, and a lot of times when they're doing a sort of cutting-edge independent film like that, they will shut someone like her out simply because of her sort of physical presence, you know. It's like, "No, we've gotta get some down-and-dirty sort of person to do this," you know. And she wanted that part. I'll never forget the first time Marc Forster and I met with her. She came in there with her guns blazing. I mean, she said, "Listen, you gotta give me this opportunity, because I can do it." And she did. She was amazing in the part, and frankly, I don't know if the other people, who shall remain nameless--But I don't know if the other people they mentioned that part could have done it. I can think of one, the original person that was brought up to me. But, uh, she--she was able to improvise with me seamlessly, and that was one of the things that I think was surprising, not only to me, but to everybody else, how she got in there, and wherever I went, she just went, too.

And I didn't share much with her after the Oscar. Frankly, I haven't talked to her much since then. A lot of times, when you go through a real heavy experience like that together--because it was heavy--sometimes you feel a little bit like you're like Vietnam vets or something together, you know. And it's like, "Gosh, if I--" Every time you see that person, you're reminded of the day that, you know, 25 people were slaughtered or something like that. It's really--You know, I know that's a pretty heavy analogy, for something so serious as a war, but you do have something inside you that--It's like, you've done that. You've done it.

Tavis: Is the moral of this story, you want to stay Billy Bob's friend, don't do a movie with him? 'Cause he won't call you ever again.

Thornton: No. It's not that. It's not that.

Tavis: Ha ha ha! Does that mean you're never--you're never going to call me after this conversation?

Thornton: I'll be on here every day if you want me to be. I'll be your Ed McMahon.

Tavis: Ha ha ha! That would be the other way around. Here's Billy Bob! Yeah. No.

Thornton: But no, I mean, Halle and I did talk, you know, after that, and I congratulated her, everything like that. But she--she did an amazing job in that film, and I hope she gets other opportunities like that.

Tavis: She's off and running now. Back to "Friday Night Lights." I started out by kissing up to you 'cause I think you deserve it. I just think this movie is all that and then some. As an African-American male, though, there were a couple of things in that movie that I didn't like, but when I walked away and kind of thought about it, I was able to put it in perspective. But I didn't like the fact that there were three or four brothers represented in this film--one brother who was one of the best guys on the team, but who was almost deaf-mute, didn't really say anything in the whole movie until you get to the end of the movie, and then he lets it all out. All right, I don't know no brothers playing high-school football ain't got nothing to say.

Thornton: I agree with you.

Tavis: I don't know a brother like that.

Thornton: I totally agree.

Tavis: That's number one. Ha ha ha! Although, this is based on a true story. I didn't like the fact that the brother, the star ath--I don't want to give too much of the film away, but the star athlete wanted to go to college at any cost, didn't care about his grades or anything else.

Thornton: Right. Mm-hmm.

Tavis: Knew he was hurt. Still wanted to play. Put his whole--his life, quite frankly, on the line because he was just so determined to go to college. Grades, nothing else mattered to this kid. I didn't like that, although there is some truth to that with a number of African-American athletes in this country and beyond for that matter. I didn't like the fact that his--that his caretaker, his guardian, again, was willing to let the kid do anything to play the game of high-school football. I didn't like the way those three brothers were represented. As I stood back to look at the film, though, it wasn't just black folk. It was a lot of dysfunctional folk in this movie.

Thornton: Oh, absolutely.

Tavis: Including white folk.

Thornton: Absolutely.

Tavis: There's a lot of dysfunction in this--in this particular film. Did any of that occur to you at all? I mean, that's the way I looked at it when I saw it, but...

Thornton: Sure. Yeah, as you say--I mean, I think a lot of times, we tend, when we're watching a movie or reading a book or anything, listening to a song, a lot of times we tend to pay closer attention to what we are and how we're represented.

Tavis: Sure.

Thornton: And I mean, I've done it before. I've done it with the way Southern white people are represented.

Tavis: Are portrayed.

Thornton: Exactly, you know. And it's like, you know, in every movie--But of course, you know, the problem with those movies, most of the time, you got some guy who's raised in--you know, in the Bronx or something or Queens directing--

Tavis: Writing something about Hot Springs.

Thornton: Right. Exactly. Right, about Hot Springs and all this kind of thing, so every guy, every white male Southerner is just this horrible bigot who, you know, whatever. So you tend to watch those things, and if you do see that stereotype pop up, then that's what--that's what you hone in. But a lot of times, those are the only types they'll show in the movie, where there's African-American or white male Southerner or whatever, a lot of times we're portrayed as just those.

In this case, you're right. It's a true story, so you have to kind of stick to, you know, facts as much as you can. But I think--I think the--In the case of the character of Ivory Christian, who's the one you referred to who doesn't say anything, I think that's a fault of the, uh--whoever had the final say in the editing of this movie. I don't know if that's the director or the director and producers, the studio. I'm not sure who did that.

What Ivory Christian actually was, was a Christian. He was a very religious guy who didn't like the whole party scene and, I think, felt a little bit uncomfortable with the celebrity of being a big football player in this town. And that's not given to you in the movie. I think if you had seen that in the movie, then all that made better sense.

Tavis: Would have made a lot more sense, yeah.

Thornton: Because I personally don't think, when they're--you know, when the local newscasters are interviewing the guys, he just stands there and doesn't say anything. Well, I think in reality, he just wouldn't have gone over there. And I'm uncomfortable with that scene. I think it should have said so.

Tavis: And in--in the Bible Belt, that wouldn't have been a stretch, to say the least, to have a guy on a team who obviously is--

Thornton: Sure.

Tavis: Had a strong and abiding faith.

Thornton: And that was in the script. That was in the book. I don't know why it's not in the movie.

Tavis: But that said, near the end of the film--Again, don't want to give too much away. The brothers do show up with some style and some flair.

Thornton: Absolutely.

Tavis: In the other team. I got what I needed, yeah.

Thornton: And also, you know, I think the Chris Comer character, the one that Lee Young played, you know, I think in terms of representing the young African-American male, I loved him in the movie, because he just seemed like the innocent kid just out there wanting to play, but not really, you know--Showing that not every African-American football player is just, like, full of himself and you know, all this kind of stuff. Here's a guy who just didn't even know--

Tavis: We're not all Terrell Owens in the end zone with Sharpies.

Thornton: Exactly. Right. Who I guarded the other day, by the way. And if I hadn't had a battery pack on, I would have intercepted the ball. But, uh, it weighed me down.

Tavis: OK.

Thornton: But, uh--But I really liked his portrayal, and when he finally starts scoring, you just come alive for him, you know. I love that part. But I--Yeah, I agree. I think there could have been more depth in those characters.

Tavis: You're a sports fan, so who do you like in baseball, professional baseball?

Thornton: You know, it's easy to say this, this year, but since I was a little baby, I was a Cardinal fan.

Tavis: You can't--Shh. We're in L.A. You can't say that too loud.

Thornton: I know, right. Oh, no.

Tavis: We're in Los Angeles. You can't say that too loud.

Thornton: You should have seen me last night watching the game.

Tavis: Ha ha ha!

Thornton: I came unglued.

Tavis: Yeah. All right. All right.

Thornton: I spilled my coffee all over the table. I mean, that was a--But I've been a Cardinal fan since I was a kid. I--Like I said, I grew up as a baseball player. My dream was to pitch for the Cardinals. Bob Gibson was my hero, and, uh, I just hope to see him go all the way this year. Today is a very nerve-racking day for me, because the Braves are playing the Astros, and I just don't want the Astros to win, because the Cardinals are having a hard time beating the Astros this year, and I'm rooting for the Braves all the way.

Tavis: All right, so who do you like in professional football?

Thornton: Indianapolis Colts.

Tavis: My hometown.

Thornton: There you go. Tony Dungy is a classy guy and a great coach, and Peyton Manning, all those guys. I just--I think it's the classiest team in the NFL. I mean, you could also say that about the Patriots, but who wants to say that? They're--You know.

Tavis: Yeah. 19 straight.

Thornton: They got too much good luck. I don't want to give them any more. But I love the Colts, and of course, you know, college football, I still root for the Razorbacks, being an Arkie. But, you know, I have to--When I see Notre Dame on TV or Penn State, just because there's such--there's such great tradition in those organizations and they're not doing too well these days, I always have to root for them a little bit. Although Notre Dame's won a few.

Tavis: Ty--Ty's won 4 in a row. He's coming up. He's coming on.

Thornton: I think they're doing real well.

Tavis: Speaking of growing up and your being a fan of all these teams, I had to pull out a little magic blue card. I got, what, three minutes left here? I'm just going to spend the next three minutes, Billy Bob, just throwing some stuff out that I had to write down about you that I just found fascinating, fun--some of it just outright stupid.

Thornton: There you go.

Tavis: But--Ha ha ha! But it got my attention. This--Stupid stuff. At seven months--seven months old, young Billy Bob set a local record as the heaviest infant in Clark County at 30 pounds.

Thornton: That's right. That's true.

Tavis: I just thought that was interesting.

Thornton: 7 months old, I weighed 30 pounds. I looked like the Michelin tire boy.

Tavis: Heh heh! I just thought that was interesting. You lived in a small cabin with no electricity or running water, so you really were in the sticks.

Thornton: I was. Yes, I spent my early years in Alpine, Arkansas, with no running water, no electricity, and, uh, eating basically whatever my Indian grandpa killed.

Tavis: Various jobs in Arkansas. You always want to know, you know, what these guys are doing before they became the stars that we know them as. Grocery store clerk, painter, drill press operator, bulldoze driver, hay hauler--my favorite, hay hauler--laid asphalt for the Arkansas State Highway Department.

Thornton: That's all true. And a sawmill was thrown in there, too.

Tavis: All right. Heh heh! Don't hate on the sawmill. Don't leave the sawmill out. I love this story. At 22, you and your childhood friend Tom Epperson arrived in New York right during the Son of Sam killings.

Thornton: Yes.

Tavis: You were moving to New York, and you were going to pursue your acting career in New York. You got there, and you stayed for all of 10 hours and left.

Thornton: That's right.

Tavis: Ha ha ha!

Thornton: We stayed 10 hours, and--

Tavis: What happened, Billy Bob?

Thornton: It was just one of those days, you know. We said, "You know what? Let's go back to Arkansas," So we went to a place called Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and recuperated for a few days and then went home.

Tavis: Went back to Arkansas. All right. We all know this, 'cause we see this on the "Enquirer" and on "E.T." and everything else. Married five times. Your advice to those considering marriage, like my producer, Neil Kendall?

Thornton: Are you really gonna do that, Neil? Uh, well, you know what? After a while, you decide, why go ahead and sign the papers, you know? It's just a contract, after all, and we all know what contracts do to you.

Tavis: That does not sound like a ringing endorsement, Mr. Kendall. But anyway, it's been a delight to have you on.

Thornton: Well, thank you.

Tavis: I got another blue card. I could go on and on if I had more time. But again, this film, I thought, was--I mean, again, a lot of critics are saying it's the best sports movie ever, and we will see, in time, how that squares out, but it's an awfully good one, and I'm glad that you're in it and glad you came by to see us.

Thornton: Well, thank you very much.

Tavis: Come back here any time.

Thornton: I appreciate it.

Tavis: I'm going to take you up on that, you know, sidekick thing.

Thornton: Oh, absolutely. I'll come here and be--

Tavis: When I call you, don't act--don't be talking about, "Tr-Travis who?"

Thornton: Right.

Tavis: "Travis who?"

Thornton: Well, I think the way they should do it, though, is I should--the guest should sit here, and I just on the side by the guest and make them feel really uncomfortable the whole time, you know what I mean?

Tavis: Neil, you taking notes on this? We got a new set design here coming up. That's our show for tonight. As always, catch me on the radio on NPR. I'll see you back here next time on PBS. Until then, thanks for watching. Good night from Los Angeles, and as always, keep the faith.