He initially learned how to direct movies even before joining the group of actors. Bill Paxton was a set dresser for director Roger Corman in a 1974 movie Big Bad Mama. At 18 years of age, Paxton worked for Corman and learned directing skills at that age.

Paxton was born on May 17, 1955 in Fort Worth Texas. The son of an occasional actor John Lane Paxton and Mary Lou Paxton, Bill is known for his supporting roles in James Cameron's Alien. In Ron Howard's movie Apollo 13, he landed the role of a soldier and a car salesman in True Lies. Surprisingly, his supporting roles earned him good ratings for his performance and talent as an actor.

Paxton is a flexible and talented actor who portrayed a nomadic vampire in Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow's film), joined the crew in the Twister as a researcher with Helen Hunt.. Equipped with a good boyish looks, Paxton is considered to be one of the famous actors in Hollywood.

Some of the movies he directed were short films as Fish Heads aired during Saturday Night Live in 1980-1981 seasons. His debut movie entitled "Mortuary" was released to the public in 1984. Paxton also appeared in the 1997 hit movie Titanic as a treasure-hunter in search of the "Heart of the Ocean" jewelry. Paxton's big break as a lead role was not until the critically acclaimed film One False Move released in 1992.

Paxton is a cast in an HBO TV drama Big Love as a polygamous husband. His role earned him the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in Television Drama in 2007. He teamed up with James Cameron in four high-grossing films Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), True Lies (1994) and Titanic (1997). Interestingly, Paxton appeared in both Alien and Predator movie.

Bill Paxton is married to Kelly Rowan from 1987 to 1980 and married Louise Newbury in 1985. Bill and Louise have two children namely James who was born in 1994 and Lydia born in 1997.