Meet Pietra Dawn Cherniak, Billy Bob Thornton’s Ex-wife

Pietra Dawn Cherniak is the ex-wife of Billy Bob Thornton, the renowned American actor, filmmaker, and musician. Pietra (born 9 February 1970) is a 53-year-old American-born Russian actress and model who has posed for magazines such as Playboy. 

Billy Bob Thornton is known for his exploits as an actor and filmmaker. In 1992, he co-authored and performed in the thriller One False Move, which gave him his first break. In 1996, he wrote, directed, and featured in the indie drama film Sling Blade and got an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. However, Billy is also known for the numerous marriages he had, and one was with Pietra Dawn Cherniak, his 4th wife. Here is what we know about her.

Summary of Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Biography 

  • Full name: Pietra Dawn Cherniak
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of birth: born 9 February 1970
  • Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Age: 53 Years
  • Ethnicity: White
  • Nationality: American
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Divorced
  • Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Husband: Billy Bob Thornton (Ex-Husband)
  • Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Children: William Langston and Harry James Thornton
  • Siblings: Elysabeth Cherniak
  • Famous for: Being the wife of Billy Bob Thornton
  • Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/natasha.cherni.5

How Old is Pietra Dawn Cherniak?

Pietra Dawn Cherniak is 53 years old in 2024. She was born on the 9th day of the month of February 1970. Multiple reports have conflicting opinions about the town where she was born. While some mentioned her birthplace to be in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California. Others posited that she was born in the city of Santa Monica. The singular factor is that both towns are neighboring each other in California.

Her ethnic background has not been ratified; it is very unclear which ethnic group she belongs to. One reason for this is that she has not openly spoken about her family. Pietra is a private individual and rarely shares information about her personal life with the public. To this end, it is not known who her parents are.

However, given the name Cherniak, one could deduce that she has her origin rooted in Eastern Europe, from countries like Russia or Ukraine, which is where such names are commonly used. Pietra’s only known relative is a younger sibling, her sister, who goes by the name Elysabeth Cherniak.

Pietra Dawn
Image Source

Pietra’s Early Childhood and Educational Background

The 53 year-old model has not said anything about her childhood and upbringing either. This makes it a herculean task to decipher what it was like when she was a child. Be that as it may, the environment where it was rumored that Pietra grew up as a child is an affluent neighborhood occupied by middle-class residents.

This would mean growing up in such an environment; one is poised to get some befitting education and sound training. She attended Palisades Charter High School, a school that serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon, and portions of Brentwood.

It is unclear if she had a college or university education, as nothing has been said about it in her bios. Many who share ties with famous people prefer to have a quiet life and do not want to be drawn to the kind of life celebrities are known for. Although Pietra is not one of such people, she still keeps to herself even after her divorce from her ex-husband.

How Long Was Pietra Dawn Cherniak Billy Bob Thornton’s Wife?

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s marital union with actor Billy Bob Thornton lasted only four years before the ex-couples called it off. It is unspoken of how the Playboy Magazine front cover model met with her ex-husband. No account has been given by either party involved even with the fact that they are no longer together.

Pietra Dawn (LR) with her Ex-husband Billy Thornton
Pietra (LR) and her ex-husband Billy Thornton

In 1993, the model and Billy Thornton got married, and together, they had two kids: Williams Langston and Harry James Thornton. The couple’s lives appeared to be going along without a hitch until their marriage tragically hit the rock, and they took the path of a divorce to go their separate ways in 1997.

Cherniak Pietra reportedly requested a divorce on April 11, 1997, claiming irreconcilable differences. She accused her husband of abusing her and threatening to kill her, which would land him in jail and leave their children without a mother or a father. Billy was given a restraining order, notwithstanding his denial of the accusations.

To make matters worse, Elysabeth Cherniak, Pietra’s older sister, also accused Billy Thornton of stalking her online, abusing her sister’s marriage, and violating her privacy. Billy responded by saying that she was making a false complaint against him. According to reports, Billy Thornton has supposedly been married six times, with five of those unions ending in divorce, some of which were the result of allegations against him.

Does Pietra Dawn Have Kids with Billy Bob Thornton?

Pietra and her ex-husband may have their differences, but they both have a lifetime connection together. What was once regarded as a blissful union saw both of them having two male kids together during their four years marriage spell. As earlier stated, Pietra and Billy’s children’s names are William Langston and Harry James Thornton.

Pietra Dawn, (m) and her kids Harry and Williams Thornton
Pietra (middle) and her two kids, Harry and Williams Thornton

William Langston Thornton, the eldest of Pietra’s kids with Billy Thornton, was born on 27 June 1993 in the United States of America. The 30 is said to be a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln in the year 2013. Not much is known about what he does for a living at the moment, as he does all possible to live a private life.

Born a year after Pietra’s second child with her former husband Billy, Harry James Thornton was born on 19 June 1994. The 29 year-old was born in Santa Monica, California, U.S.A. He is a well-known reality TV personality who works both on and off-camera. Harry is also into real estate in addition to his TV career.

Both boys have two half-siblings from their father’s other marital relationship, Amanda Thornton and Bella Thornton. William Langston, the eldest of the two, has a child named Susan William Thornton. No details about the child’s date of birth or who her mother is as he has remained secretive about that aspect of his life.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Family Members 

Name  Relationship Date of Birth Age
Billy Bob Thornton Ex-husband 4 August 1955 68
William Langston Thornton Son 27 June 1993 30
Harry James Thornton Son 19 June 1994 29
Elysabeth Cherniak Sister NA NA

Where is Pietra Dawn Cherniak Now?

Pietra now lives in Malibu, California, where she works as a salesperson for a Real estate firm. The actress and model is currently a Realtor and earns a living as a salesperson for the Pritchett Rapf Realtors Firm, which is one of the biggest independent Real Estate firms in Malibu, California, where she currently resides.

Pietra Dawn
Image Source

Before her current salesperson role, Pietra was a model and an actress. She became widely known after posing nude for a 1998 edition of Playboy magazine. That appearance, however, attracted a range of varied responses from fans and followers all over the world.

Pietra blamed her decision to pose naked on the domestic abuse she experienced while she was married to her famous husband, who she said was abusive. She decided to take a naked photo as a show of defiance against domestic abuse against women, according to multiple reports.

The Playboy magazine model is reported to have had many tryouts and auditions in order to get acting roles. Although she opted to be favored due to her ex-husband’s prominence in the movie industry, that did not seem to work out. Her only acting credit was appearing as herself on an episode of E True Hollywood Story.

FAQs

Who is Pietra Dawn Cherniak?

Pietra Dawn Cherniak is the ex-wife of Billy Bob Thornton, the popular American actor. Pietra Dawn Cherniak is a former Playboy model, and she and Thornton were married from 1993 to 1997, during which they had two sons.

How Many Children Does Pietra Dawn Cherniak Have?

Pietra Dawn Cherniak has two children, namely William Langston Thornton (born 27 June 1993) and Harry James Thornton (born 19 June 1994), from her marriage to Billy Bob Thornton. It is possible that she had another kid after she and Thornton split, but there is no confirmation of this.

How Many Wives Has Billy Bob Thornton Had Since His Divorce From Pietra?

Billy Bob Thornton has had two wives since his divorce from Pietra, his fourth wife. Billy Bob Thornton married his fifth wife, Angelina Jolie, in 2000, and they divorced in 2003. The actor is now married to Connie Angland, a makeup artist with whom he tied the knot on 22 October 2014 in Los Angeles. This is his sixth marriage.

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