Billy Bob Thornton was stuck bracing for a nor’easter in New Jersey this week, but he didn’t let that stop him from making an appearance at a benefit show in Los Angeles … as the actor took the stage by FaceTime.

Here’s the backstory … Billy Bob and country crooner Dwight Yoakam have been friends for decades and starred in the 1996 classic flick “Sling Blade” together. Billy was set to host Dwight’s event benefitting Children’s Hospital L.A., but he’s currently out of town shooting the movie “Somedays” with Ariana Greenblatt. Sadly, weather didn’t permit him to travel.

Determined to still make it somehow, Billy called Dwight’s phone, which was then brought on stage in the middle of Dwight’s performance at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.

Dwight admitted that in 40 years of show business, that was a first for him, but to the crowd’s delight, he stopped the whole show to have a conversation with Billy.

The actor joked … “It wasn’t that bad a day. When I went to work this morning, it was 4 and it warmed up to 17.”

As you know … much of the country is currently getting hit with a brutal winter storm.

Being stuck inside, Billy then led the audience through a tour of his hotel room. Out on the balcony, he quipped, “There’s the ‘No Smoking’ sign that I ignore.”