Billy Bob Origin Story

When I first got word of the Billy Bob Thornton assignment, he was already known for being unconventional and spirited, and I couldn’t wait to collaborate with him in a spontaneous, free-flowing way.

I soon realized that celebrities rarely come to shoots with ideas, and could not be relied upon to bring a brainstorming and collaborative attitude. I stayed optimistic about the day, but quietly started drafting some backup concepts.

When an important portrait job comes in, I do research on the subject, read the manuscript, and write down every exciting and strange idea I can think of. The purpose of this initial list is to make connections, open the portals. But the origin of the "Billy Bob peeing on the seamless" picture is more specific.

Years earlier, I was photographing a businessman in a Texas field. We had a seamless backdrop on set, and I remember thinking how striking it would be if someone urinated on it—the splash, the color shift, the sheer unexpectedness of it. Obviously not a fit for that subject, but I stored it away.

I brought this, and other ideas to this new session with Billy Bob Thornton. For this one I simply said, “I want to hang a photo paper backdrop and have you urinate against it.“ And he said, “Sure.” I spent the remainder of the session shadowing him to make sure that he didn't take a pee absentmindedly. 

Top Image: This falls into the, “How did he get them to do that?” category. In this case, I just asked. Shot on the porch of his bungalow at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, July 19, 2001.

Second Image: The opening spread of the Premiere Magazine story, November 2001. Photo editor: Doris Brautigan.

Third Image: A third strong portrait from the day.

Fourth Image: Shooting for Forbes, with Clear Channel’s Lowry Mays, San Antonio, TX, November 1996. It struck me here that peeing on the seamless could be surprising and beautiful. Photo by Paul Costello.

Bottom Image: Two of the notebooks from the Billy Bob Thornton session.