The year 1999 was marked by a whirlwind romance between Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie, which culminated in a surprise wedding in Las Vegas. However, this union was not without its casualties. Laura Dern, Billy Bob’s fiancée at the time, was left blindsided and heartbroken by his sudden departure.
Laura and Billy Bob had been together since 1997, and their relationship seemed to be going strong. They were engaged and making plans for their wedding when Billy Bob met Angelina on the set of Pushing Tin. The rest, as they say, is history.
Laura has spoken publicly about the pain and confusion she felt when she discovered that Billy Bob had married Angelina without even bothering to inform her. In an interview, she recalled how she had left their home to work on a movie, only to return and find that her fiancé had gotten married to someone else.
The situation was made even more awkward by the fact that Laura had a prior connection with Angelina. Laura’s father, Bruce Dern, had revealed that Laura used to babysit Angelina when they were children.
In the aftermath of the breakup, Laura received support from her friend Melissa Etheridge, who helped her move out of her shared home with Billy Bob. Melissa has spoken about the experience, describing how she had to “break into” the house to retrieve Laura’s belongings.
Despite the pain and betrayal she suffered, Laura has moved on with her life. She married Ben Harper and has two children with him, and has also been linked to former NBA player Baron Davis. Billy Bob, on the other hand, divorced Angelina in 2002 and has since kept a low profile, marrying a puppeteer in 2014.
The story of Laura Dern’s heartbreak serves as a reminder that even in the glamorous world of Hollywood, relationships can be messy and painful.
