Billy Bob Thornton reveals truth about infamous blood vials with Angelina Jolie

Billy Bob Thornton has revealed the truth about the blood vial necklaces which he and ex-wife Angelina Jolie allegedly wore.

Long before there was 'Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt' there was 'Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton'. The couple first met in 2000 and tied the knot a year later, before getting matching tattoos and eventually going their separate ways in 2003.

Despite Jolie and Thornton's relationship being relatively short, the couple remain infamous amongst anyone old enough to remember the early noughties due to reports of them wearing necklaces containing vials of each other's blood.

Which may not have been true after all.

When most of us think of Thornton and Jolie's relationship, the first thing that comes to mind is seeing headlines how the couple showed their devotion by wearing blood necklaces.

A piece of trivia which Thornton has since set the record straight on.

The infamous necklaces can be seen in this photo (SGranitz/WireImage)

Speaking in a new interview with Rolling Stone, Thornton explained that the necklaces were actually lockets, which contained no more than a drop of blood and that the whole thing was blown out of proportion.

"We each had a little locket, literally with a drop of blood in them," the 70-year-old explained, adding that the gesture was wildly taken out of context in the media.

"That's a romantic little idea, and that's all that was," he continued.

"But by the time it's over, we're vampires. We live in a dungeon, we drink each other's blood, and this kind of stuff."

Despite public perception of the relationship, Thornton added that he and Jolie, 50, separated on good terms and referred to their three years together as 'one of the greatest times of my life'.

"Angelina and I had a great time together," he said. "She and I are still very, very close friends. And that was the one that ended up being a really civilised breakup. We simply split up because our lifestyles were so different."

The actor opened up on the amicable end of his and Jolie's relationship (Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Paramount+ )

This isn't the first time Thornton has shut down speculation about the infamous blood vials, previously explaining how he and Jolie came up with the idea in a 2014 interview.

"Angie came home one day with a kit she bought," he said during an interview with Loyola Marymount University's School of Film & Television, via E! News.

"You know those lockets you buy that are clear and you put a picture of your grannie in it or something like that and wear it around your neck? That's what it was.

"She thought it would be interesting and romantic if we took a little razor blade and sliced our fingers, smeared a little blood on these lockets and you wear it around your neck."

So there you have it folks, not a vial of blood but simply a smear on a DIY locket.