Billy Bob Thornton “drank” to prepare for his role in Bad Santa.
The 59-year-old actor claims this put him in the right headspace to portray Willie T. Stokes, a robber who dresses as the Christmas figure in order to steal.
The star’s character is a thief, a sex addict and an alcoholic, who gets himself hired as Santa Claus at shopping malls.
"I prepared for [the role] by drinking from 7 o’clock in the morning," Billy Bob Thornton told a class of students at Loyola Marymount University's School of Film & Television.
He also revealed that a sequel for the popular 2003 comedy is in the works with writers already making progress. He admitted that they have a hard act to follow but claimed it is in the making nonetheless.
"We’re just waiting for a script," he told the aspiring filmmakers. "I mean, we’re never going to beat the first one, but you got to get as close as you can. It will do real well, I would imagine. And hopefully we'll get it off."
During the recorded interview Billy Bob also spoke about his brief marriage to Angelina Jolie from 2000 until 2003. Their relationship was notoriously unconventional.
"I mean it was a crazy time," the actor confessed. "I've never been fond of it."
Billy Bob was asked about infamous rumours of “dungeons” and “vials of blood” circulating about the pair back then. He discussed the strange whispers, hinting he found them irritating.
"You know those lockets you buy that are clear and you put a picture of your grannie in and wear it around your neck? She bought two of those,” he explained, of the vials of blood. “We were apart a lot because she's off making Tomb Raider and I'm making Monster’s Ball. She thought it would be interesting and romantic if we took a little razorblade and sliced our fingers, smeared a little blood on these lockets and you wear it around your neck just like you wear your son or daughter’s baby hair in one. Same thing. From that, we were wearing quart jars of blood around our necks.”
