Billy Bob Thornton's marriage to Angelina Jolie was "one of the greatest times" of his life.

The Armageddon star, 70, started dating the 50-year-old actress after meeting her on the set of their 2009 movie Pushing Tin and they wed in 2000, but the marriage didn't last and they divorced in 2003. However, Billy Bob looks back on their relationship fondly and admits they are still very good friends after going through a "really civilized" break-up.

He told Rolling Stone magazine: "Angelina and I had a great time together. That was one of the greatest times of my life.

"She and I are still very, very close friends. And that was the one that ended up being a really civilized break-up. We simply split up because our lifestyles were so different."

Billy Bob also talked about the rumour which suggested the former couple used to wear vials of each other's blood around their necks.

He explained: "We each had a little locket, literally with a drop of blood in them. That's a romantic little idea, and that's all that was.

"But by the time it's over, we're vampires. We live in a dungeon, we drink each other's blood, and this kind of stuff."

The actor previously talked about the blood necklaces during an appearance at Loyola Marymount University's School of Film Television in 2014.

According to E! News, he said: "[A] vial of blood is very simple. Angie came home one day with a kit she bought.

"You know those lockets you buy that are clear and you put a picture of your grannie in it or something like that and wear it around your neck? That's what it was.

"She thought it would be interesting and romantic if we took a little razor blade and sliced our fingers, smeared a little blood on these lockets and you wear it around your neck just like you wear your son or daughter's baby hair in one.

"Same thing. From that we were wearing quart jars of blood around our necks."

Billy Bob has been married six times. After his split from Angelina, he went on to strike up a romance with Connie Angland. They welcomed a daughter together and married in 2014.