Billy Bob Thornton revealed a rare health-linked blood type and allergies that leave him with a restrictive diet, plus he’s starring in Landman’s renewed season.
Billy Bob Thornton is speaking candidly about his health, and it starts with a rare condition that has shaped what he can eat. The Landman star opened up about a “very restricted” diet tied to allergies and his blood type, explaining how it has led to ongoing stomach issues and further limitations.
On Howie Mandel’s podcast, Howie Mandel Does Stuff, Thornton said he is allergic to wheat and dairy.. He also described having type AB-negative blood. calling it the rarest blood type in the world and noting that less than 1% of the global population has it.. He tied that rarity to digestive challenges, saying his condition means he has less digestive enzymes.
For Thornton, the dietary restrictions go far beyond avoiding a few ingredients.. He shared that his stomach issues are part of the reason he can’t eat many foods. adding that his childhood experience taught him nothing about how unusual the effects were.. He grew up with many allergies but. as he put it. “ate everything. ” only later realizing other people likely did not feel the way he did after meals.
Thornton said he “just assumed everybody felt like s— after they ate. ” because he didn’t know anything different growing up.. As he got older. he clarified what that assumption meant for his present-day eating habits. noting he cannot have dairy and wheat and also can’t eat meat. specifically pointing to pork and beef.
While blood type and food allergies may sound like separate issues. Thornton described them as connected through the digestive impact of his AB-negative status.. In his telling. the reduced digestive enzymes are one of the factors that come along with his blood type. which then compounds with the allergies that already limit what he can safely consume.
The actor’s update comes at a busy moment professionally as well. Landman, the series in which Thornton stars, has already been renewed for a third season, continuing the momentum from the show’s recent run.
As fans look ahead to what the next stretch of Landman will bring. attention has also turned to which cast members may be returning after the season two finale.. Thornton’s health remarks land in the middle of that conversation. offering a personal snapshot of how he manages day-to-day realities even as his career continues to move forward.
For viewers. the most striking part of Thornton’s comments is the contrast between how ordinary eating felt in his youth and how restrictive it is now.. His story highlights how rare medical details. like blood type. can have ripple effects that shape everyday life—especially when paired with allergies that require extra caution around common staples like wheat and dairy.
Billy Bob Thornton health AB-negative blood type restrictive diet wheat allergy dairy allergy Landman renewed Howie Mandel podcast