Pietra Dawn Cherniak: Meet Billy Bob Thornton’s Fourth Wife

Pietra Dawn Cherniak is an American former model and actress best known as the fourth wife of actor Billy Bob Thornton. They married in 1993, had two sons, and divorced in 1997. Pietra later kept a lower public profile, and recent reports say she works in real estate in California.

Quick Facts About Pietra Dawn Cherniak

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Early Life

Pietra Dawn Cherniak was born on February 9, 1970, in Santa Monica, California.

One source reports that her family moved to Russia when she was young. However, this detail is not supported by the other available source.

Little reliable information is available about her childhood.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Parents and Siblings

The names of Pietra’s parents have not been reliably reported.

There is also little confirmed information about whether she has siblings.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Education

Pietra’s educational background is not publicly well documented.

There is no reliable information in the available sources confirming which schools or colleges she attended.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Modeling Career

Pietra worked as a model and gained attention during the 1990s.

Reports connect her with magazine and fashion modeling. Her best-known modeling appearance was connected to Playboy.

Her modeling work helped give her some recognition outside her marriage to Billy Bob Thornton.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Playboy Appearance

Pietra reportedly appeared in Playboy in 1998, after her marriage to Thornton ended.

One source says she connected her decision to pose for the magazine with the difficult experiences she said she had during her marriage.

Her Playboy appearance remains one of the most frequently mentioned parts of her modeling career.

Was Pietra Dawn Cherniak an Actress?

Pietra is also described as an actress in secondary sources.

However, there is no large or clearly documented list of acting roles connected to her.

Her modeling career and marriage to Thornton received much more public attention than her acting work.

Her Appearance on E! True Hollywood Story

Pietra is reported to have appeared in an episode of E! True Hollywood Story.

The documentary series covered the lives and careers of celebrities and other major entertainment stories.

How Did Pietra Dawn Cherniak Meet Billy Bob Thornton?

Pietra and Billy Bob Thornton reportedly met in 1992.

One account says they met outside an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles.

Thornton was building his acting and writing career at the time, while Pietra was working as a model.

They began dating and married the following year.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak and Billy Bob Thornton’s Marriage

Pietra married Billy Bob Thornton on February 18, 1993.

One source describes their wedding as a private ceremony attended by family and friends.

Pietra became Thornton’s fourth wife.

Their marriage lasted about four years before ending in 1997.

Who Is Billy Bob Thornton?

Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and musician.

He became widely known for his work in movies such as Sling Blade, Armageddon, A Simple Plan, and Bad Santa. He also starred in the television series Goliath.

Thornton wrote, directed, and starred in Sling Blade. He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film.

His personal life has also received attention because he has been married several times.

Pietra Attended the Academy Awards With Billy Bob Thornton

Pietra attended the 69th Academy Awards with Thornton in 1997.

Thornton won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sling Blade that year.

Pietra was also photographed with him at other entertainment events during their marriage.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Children

Pietra and Billy Bob Thornton have two sons together:

• William Langston Thornton
• Harry James Thornton

Both sons were born during their marriage.

William Langston Thornton

William Langston Thornton was born on June 27, 1993.

He is Pietra and Thornton’s older son.

William has generally kept a private life.

A recent secondary source reports that he has also worked with his father on entertainment projects. It says William worked as an assistant on Bad Santa 2 in 2016.

Harry James Thornton

Harry James Thornton was born on June 19, 1994.

Unlike his older brother, Harry has developed a more public career.

He has worked in entertainment production and real estate.

Harry Thornton’s Career

Harry has reportedly worked as a property master or prop master in the entertainment industry.

Sources connect him with projects including Goliath and S.W.A.T.

He also appeared in the E! reality series Relatively Famous: Ranch Rules in 2022.

More recent reporting describes Harry as a luxury real estate agent.

One source says he runs the Beverly Hills-based Thornton Group.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Grandchildren

Pietra is reportedly a grandmother.

Her son Harry has two daughters named Mia and Nikita, according to secondary reporting.

Their mother is reported to be Harry’s fiancée, Magi Monet.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak and Billy Bob Thornton’s Divorce

Pietra and Thornton divorced in 1997.

A newer source says Pietra filed for divorce in April 1997 and cited irreconcilable differences.

Their divorce received media attention because Pietra made serious allegations against Thornton.

Pietra’s Allegations Against Billy Bob Thornton

During the divorce proceedings, Pietra accused Thornton of physically abusing her.

Court papers reported by PEOPLE said Pietra alleged that the incidents happened repeatedly and sometimes occurred in front of their children.

She also reportedly requested a restraining order.

These were allegations made by Pietra during the divorce proceedings.

Billy Bob Thornton Denied the Allegations

Thornton denied Pietra’s accusations.

He acknowledged that their marriage was not perfect but said he had not behaved in the way she alleged.

He also said his main concern was how the dispute would affect their sons.

The available sources therefore present two different accounts of what happened during the marriage.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Life After the Divorce

Pietra largely moved away from major public attention after her divorce.

She did not maintain the same level of media exposure that she had while married to Thornton.

Recent secondary reporting says she later entered the real estate industry.

Does Pietra Dawn Cherniak Work in Real Estate?

A 2025 secondary source reports that Pietra works as a real estate agent in Malibu and the greater Los Angeles area.

The same source says her social media profile identifies her as a Malibu Realtor.

Her exact current position and employer are not firmly confirmed in the available information.

Where Is Pietra Dawn Cherniak Now?

Recent secondary reporting places Pietra in Malibu, California.

She appears to maintain a much more private life today.

Her current activities are mainly connected through reports about her real estate work rather than entertainment.

Did Pietra Dawn Cherniak Remarry?

There is no reliable public information confirming that Pietra remarried after her divorce from Billy Bob Thornton.

Her current spouse or partner, if any, has not been publicly confirmed.

Billy Bob Thornton’s Relationships After Pietra

After his marriage to Pietra ended, Thornton had a relationship with actress Laura Dern. They became engaged but did not marry.

He married actress Angelina Jolie in 2000. Their marriage ended in 2003.

Thornton later began a relationship with makeup effects artist Connie Angland. They married on October 22, 2014.

Billy Bob Thornton’s Six Marriages

Thornton has been married six times.

His wives have included:

1. Melissa Lee Gatlin
2. Toni Lawrence
3. Cynda Williams
4. Pietra Dawn Cherniak
5. Angelina Jolie
6. Connie Angland

Pietra was his fourth wife.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Net Worth

Pietra’s personal net worth is not reliably known.

One secondary source estimates it at between $500,000 and $1 million, but there is no reliable financial evidence supporting that figure.

It is better treated as an online estimate rather than a confirmed net worth.

Pietra Dawn Cherniak’s Social Media

A recent report says Pietra uses social media in connection with her real estate work and identifies herself as a Malibu Realtor.

However, a clearly verified public account was not established in the available sources.

Facts About Pietra Dawn Cherniak

• Pietra Dawn Cherniak was born on February 9, 1970.
• She was born in Santa Monica, California.
• She worked as a model.
• She is also described as an actress.
• She reportedly appeared in Playboy in 1998.
• She was Billy Bob Thornton’s fourth wife.
• Pietra and Thornton reportedly met in Los Angeles in 1992.
• They married on February 18, 1993.
• They have two sons together.
• William Langston Thornton was born on June 27, 1993.
• Harry James Thornton was born on June 19, 1994.
• Pietra attended the 1997 Academy Awards with Thornton.
• She filed for divorce in 1997.
• Pietra made domestic violence allegations during the divorce proceedings.
• Thornton denied her allegations.
• Harry Thornton has worked in entertainment and real estate.
• Pietra reportedly has two granddaughters, Mia and Nikita.
• Recent reports say she works in real estate.
• She reportedly lives in Malibu, California.
• There is no reliable report confirming that she remarried.
• Her personal net worth is not reliably known.

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