Billy Bob Thornton opens up about health struggles linked to rare blood type

Billy Bob Thornton has opened up about the emotional and physical challenges tied to a rare medical condition that has forced him to make major changes to his diet.

The actor discussed his long-running health struggles during an appearance on the podcast Howie Mandel Does Stuff, where he revealed that he is allergic to both wheat and dairy due to his rare AB-negative blood type.

“Well, I’m allergic to wheat and dairy. I have type AB-negative blood, which is the rarest type in the world,” Thornton explained during the conversation. “It’s, like, less than 1% of the population of the world has it.”

The Landman star went on to share that the condition affects digestion as well.

“You have fewer digestive enzymes. That’s one of the things that goes along with it,” he added.

According to the American Red Cross, AB-negative is considered the least common blood type among Americans, with fewer than one percent of people in the United States carrying it.

Thornton also revealed that although he learned about his rare blood type in the late 1980s, this marked the first time he had publicly spoken about the medical condition.

The Oscar-winning actor, who was previously married to Angelina Jolie, appeared candid while discussing how the diagnosis has impacted his everyday life and eating habits over the years.