Bill Paxton

Born May 17, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas, Bill Paxton moved to Los Angeles at age 18 and got his start working as a set dresser for B-movie king Roger Corman. After appearing in the Corman-produced Crazy Mama (1975), Paxton headed to New York University to study under acting coach Stella Adler.

Returning to Los Angeles in 1980, Paxton continued to employ his set-dressing skills to earn extra money between acting gigs. It was while moonlighting on the 1981 sci-fi film Galaxy of Terror that he met James Cameron, who would later direct Paxton in a string of blockbusters that includes Aliens (1986), True Lies (1994) and Titanic (1997).

Equally comfortable in popcorn flicks such as Twister (1996) and smaller, serious films such as A Simple Plan (1998), Paxton began a run as the head of a polygamous family on HBO'S "Big Love" in 2006. He's received three Golden Globe nominations for the role.

Filmography