Where Are They Now

Updated: 6/4/09

Name: Bill Paxton

Born: May 17, 1955, Fort Worth, Texas

Claim To Fame: Made a name for himself with starring roles in the movies Apollo 13, Twister, and True Lies.

Family Life: He married Louise Newbury in 1987, and they have two children, James (born 1994) and Lydia (born December 19, 1997). He was previously married to Kelly Rowan from 1979-1980.

Info: Paxton attended Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, California, and then Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, before moving to Los Angeles, California to work for the movie director Roger Corman as a set designer on his movies. Deciding to pursue a career in acting, Paxton moved to New York City and studied under Stella Adler.

During his impressive acting career, Paxton has played many memorable characters including the older brother Chet in John Hughes' Weird Science; the loud-mouthed Colonial Marine Private William Hudson in James Cameron's Aliens; astronaut Fred Haise in Ron Howard's Apollo 13; the sadistic vampire Severen in Kathryn Bigelow's film Near Dark; tornado researcher Bill Harding opposite Helen Hunt in the blockbuster Twister; the treasure hunter to whom Rose's story is told in Titanic and the sleazy car salesman in True Lies.

In 1988, Paxton and vocalist/guitarist Andrew Todd formed a short-lived rock duo Martini Ranch. The duo recorded and released one album entitled Holy Cow. Paxton also directed a number of short films, including Fish Heads, which aired during Saturday Night Live's low-rated 1980-1981 season on the episode hosted by Ellen Burstyn (with musical guests Aretha Franklin and Keith Sykes). He has also directed feature films: Frailty and The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Trivia: At the age of eight, was in the crowd waving when President John F. Kennedy emerged from the Hotel Texas in Ft. Worth, Texas, on the morning of Nov. 22, 1963. Pictures at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas show the young Paxton astride the shoulders of an unidentified man.

Often confused with Bill Pullman, an actor known for similar roles as Paxton.

Was cast in a 1982 music video for the Pat Benatar song Shadows Of the Night, in which he appeared as a German Nazi radio officer.

Is credited with directing and starring in the Barnes and Barnes song video titled Fish Heads.

Had rheumatic fever in the 7th grade, which kept him hospitalized for a month and bed-ridden for four months. He had to take regular doses of penicillin until he was 18.

As a teen, caddied for golf great Ben Hogan in Fort Worth.

Co-authored and produced the short, Scoop (1983), which won a Honorable Mention at the 1983 USA Film Festival.

Earned the nickname "Wild Bill" among friends and co-stars for his apparently crazed sense of humor and his love for elaborate pranks.

Is one of two actors (the other being Lance Henriksen) to be "killed" by a Terminator (The Terminator), an Alien (Aliens) and a Predator (Predator 2).

Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame during their annual induction gala at Austin Studios in Austin, Texas on March 9, 2007 for his career achievement in the motion picture film industry.

Where Is He Now: Paxton is performing in the HBO drama Big Love as Bill Henrickson, the head of a polygamous family in Utah. He was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Drama in 2007 for the role. He is currently working on the fourth season, which is set to premiere in 2010.