AceShowbiz - The recession hit Billy Bob Thornton harder than most Hollywood stars - because he was unaware the global financial crisis had hit the studios so badly. The "Slingblade" star had been on the road with his band The Boxmasters for two years and hadn't paid much attention to Tinseltown, and when he finally checked in with his agent he was stunned to discover that quality movies were no longer being offered to him.

He explains, "I get back... and I find out there aren't that many movies being made because there's a recession... I really didn't know that it was that serious... My kids are, like, chewing on tuna can lids. I'm like, 'Whoa, I've gotta do something!' "

"They sent me over the scripts that are available and they're just horrible... I realize that in two short years movies have gone from movies about people and real situations to nothing but fantasy movies and teenage vampires and 3-D... like the lead character is an eagle!"

"Two years ago I was, like, this movie star guy... but now the offer I get is the sixth lead who is the janitor at some place who works for the eagle."