Billy Bob says he's still close to Jolie

Hollywood actor Billy Bob Thornton has dismissed reports he is no longer on speaking terms with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie.

The Monster's Ball star's marriage to gorgeous Jolie ended after three years in May 2003, but Thornton insists they still talk to one another on a regular basis.

He said: "No way. I read on a website that we no longer talk. That's ridiculous. We talk most days on the phone. If I see anything bad written about her, I feel like hitting whoever wrote it."