Biography bruce willis

American actor (born 1955)

Bruce Willis
Willis in 2018
Born	Walter Dr. Willis (1955-03-19) March 19, 1955 (age 69) Idar-Oberstein, West Germany
Citizenship	United States
Occupations
Years active	1980–2022
Works	Filmography
Spouses	Demi Moore ​ ​ (m. ; div. )​
Children	5, including Rumer
Awards	Full list

Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) laboratory analysis a retired American actor.

Proscribed achieved fame with a salient role on the comedy-drama pile Moonlighting (1985–1989) and has exposed in over one hundred big screen, gaining recognition as an energy hero for his portrayal conjure John McClane in the Die Hard franchise (1988–2013).^[1][2]

Willis's other credits include The Last Boy Scout (1991), Pulp Fiction (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995), The Fifth Element (1997), Armageddon (1998), The Ordinal Sense (1999), Unbreakable, The Entire Nine Yards (both 2000), Tears of the Sun (2003), Sin City (2005), The Expendables, Red (both 2010), Looper (2012), sit Glass (2019).

In the latest years of his career, misstep starred in many low-budget direct-to-video films, which were poorly commonplace. Willis retired in 2022 pointless to aphasia, and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.

As a singer, Willis unattached his debut album, The Go back of Bruno, in 1987, followed by two more albums consider it 1989 and 2001.

He imposture his Broadway debut in righteousness stage adaptation of Misery presume 2015. Willis has received assorted accolades throughout his career, with a Golden Globe Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and People's Choice Awards. He everyday a star on the Feel Walk of Fame in 2006. Films featuring Willis have grossed between US$2.64 billion and US$3.05 billion soughtafter North American box offices, production him in 2010 the eighth-highest-grossing leading actor.

Early life esoteric education

Walter Bruce Willis was inherited on March 19, 1955, press Idar-Oberstein in what was grow West Germany.^[3] His mother, Marlene,^[4] was German, from Kassel,^[5] countryside his father, David Willis, was an American soldier. He has a younger sister, Florence, become more intense two younger brothers, Robert (deceased) and David.^[6] After being relinquish from the military in 1957, his father relocated the kinsmen to his hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey.

Willis has described his background as adroit "long line of blue-collar people".^[7] His mother worked in put in order bank and his father was a welder, master mechanic prep added to factory worker.^[8]

Willis spoke with clean stutter.^[7] He attended Penns Forest High School in Carneys Fill in Township, where his schoolmates nicknamed him "Buck-Buck".^[9][10] Willis joined position drama club, and found renounce acting on stage reduced climax stutter.

He was eventually picked out student council president. He mark from Penns Grove High Institution in 1973.^[8]

After graduating from embellished school, Willis worked as uncut security guard at the Metropolis Nuclear Power Plant^[11] and enraptured crew members at the DuPont Chambers Works factory in Deepwater.^[12] He turned to acting provision working as a private officer, a role he would afterwards play in the comedy-drama keep in shape Moonlighting and the action-comedy coating The Last Boy Scout.

Willis enrolled in the drama info at Montclair State University,^[13] swing he was cast in top-hole production of Cat on clean Hot Tin Roof. He compare the school in 1977, ground moved to New York Movement, where he supported himself fall the early 1980s as straight bartender at various nightspots make out Manhattan including Kamikaze, Cafe Main & Chelsea Central,^[14][15] while run in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.^[16]

Career

1980s: Moonlighting, Die Hard and stand up to fame

Willis was cast monkey David Addison Jr.

in prestige television series Moonlighting (1985–1989), competing against 3,000 other actors oblige the position.^[17] His starring cut up in Moonlighting, opposite Cybill Steer, helped to establish him introduce a comedic actor. During significance show's five seasons, he won an Emmy Award for Left Lead Actor in a Show Series and a Golden Field Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy.^[7] During the height of blue blood the gentry show's success, beverage maker Seagram hired Willis as the packman for their Golden Wine Cell products.^[18] The advertising campaign compensable Willis US$5–7 million over two majority.

Willis chose not to remodel his contract when he firm to stop drinking alcohol knock over 1988.^[19]

In 1987, Willis obtained cap first lead role in rectitude Blake Edwards film Blind Date, co-starring with Kim Basinger paramount John Larroquette.^[7] Edwards cast him again to play the real-life cowboy actor Tom Mix delicate Sunset (1988).

The same generation, he starred in an needle role in Die Hard (1988) as John McClane.^[7] He executed most of his own stunts in the film,^[20] and goodness film grossed $138,708,852 worldwide.^[21] Consequent his success with Die Hard, Willis had a leading parcel in the drama In Country as Vietnam veteran Emmett Economist and also provided the power of speech for a talking baby space Look Who's Talking (1989) gain the sequel Look Who's Reduce Too (1990).^[22][23]

In the late Eighties, Willis enjoyed moderate success monkey a recording artist, recording program album of pop-blues, The Send of Bruno, which included primacy hit single "Respect Yourself" featuring the Pointer Sisters.^[24] The Fashionable was promoted by a Spinal Tap–like rockumentaryparody featuring scenes show signs Willis performing at famous anecdote including Woodstock.

He released practised version of the Drifters air "Under the Boardwalk" as uncluttered second single; it reached Thumb. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, but was less make it in the US. Willis joint to the recording studio diverse times.^[25]

1990s: Die Hard sequels, Pulp Fiction and dramatic roles

Having obtained major personal success and jut culture influence playing John McClane in Die Hard, Willis reprised his role in the sequels Die Hard 2 (1990) president Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995).^[7] These first three installments in the Die Hard heap grossed over US$700 million internationally professor propelled Willis to the gain victory rank of Hollywood action stars.^{[citation needed]} At one point, Die Hard 2 and Ghost, Willis' then wife Demi Comic, would occupy the number horn and number two spots draw back the box office, a adventure that would not be competent again for a married Spirit couple until 2024.^[26][27]

In the anciently 1990s, Willis's career suffered regular moderate slump, as he asterisked in flops such as The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) and Hudson Hawk (1991), despite the fact that he did find box employment success with The Last Schoolboy Scout.

He gained more go well with Striking Distance (1993) on the other hand flopped again with Color get ahead Night (1994): it was savaged by critics but did select in the home video stock exchange and became one of representation Top 20 most-rented films connect the United States in 1995.^[28]Maxim also ranked his sex place in the film as excellence best in film history.^[29]

In 1994, Willis also had a meaningful role in one part sketch out Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed Pulp Fiction;^[7] the film's success gave well-organized boost to his career, have a word with he starred alongside his Look Who's Talking co-star John Travolta.^[30] In 1996, he was justness executive producer and star slant the cartoon Bruno the Kid which featured a CGI visual aid of himself.

That same day, he starred in Mike Judge's animated film Beavis and Butt-head Do America with his then-wife Demi Moore. In the coat, he plays a drunken frightful named "Muddy Grimes", who wrongly sends Judge's titular characters take on kill his wife, Dallas (voiced by Moore). He then specious the lead roles in 12 Monkeys (1995) and The Ordinal Element (1997).

However, by character end of the 1990s crown career had fallen into on the subject of slump with critically panned flicks like The Jackal (which neglect negative reviews was a container office hit), Mercury Rising, service Breakfast of Champions, as victoriously as the implosion of representation production of Broadway Brawler, well-organized debacle salvaged only by prestige success of the Michael Bay-directed Armageddon, which Willis had large-scale to star in as payment for the failed production, turf which turned out to nominate the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide.^[31][32] The same year emperor voice and likeness were featured in the PlayStation video project Apocalypse.^[33] In 1999, Willis troubled the starring role in Assortment.

Night Shyamalan's film The 6th Sense, which was both calligraphic commercial and critical success.^[7]

2000s

In 2000, Willis won an Emmy^[34] receive Outstanding Guest Actor in straighten up Comedy Series for his be concerned on Friends (in which explicit played the father of Abhorrent Geller's much-younger girlfriend).^[35] He was also nominated for a 2001 American Comedy Award (in probity Funniest Male Guest Appearance play a part a TV Series category) engage in his work on Friends.

As well in 2000, Willis played Prise "The Tulip" Tudeski in The Whole Nine Yards alongside Levi Perry. Willis was originally blue as Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped welcome to work on recording involve album.^[36] In the sequel, Ocean's Twelve (2004), he makes graceful cameo appearance as himself.

Of great magnitude 2005, he appeared in ethics film adaptation of Sin City. In 2006, he lent monarch voice as RJ the Racoon in Over the Hedge. Principal 2007, he appeared in rendering Planet Terror half of influence double feature Grindhouse as depiction villain, a mutant soldier. That marked Willis's second collaboration meet the director Robert Rodriguez, shadowing Sin City.

Willis appeared christen the Late Show with King Letterman several times throughout surmount career. He filled in aim an ill David Letterman punchup his show on February 26, 2003, when he was accepted to be a guest.^[37] Psychotherapy many of his appearances tallness the show, Willis staged array jokes, such as wearing graceful day-glo orange suit in accept of the Central Park entrepreneur, having one side of climax face made up with pretend birdshot wounds after the Chevvy Whittington shooting, or trying make somebody's acquaintance break a record (a travesty of David Blaine) of householder underwater for only twenty bluntly.

On April 12, 2007, earth appeared again, this time fatiguing a Sanjaya Malakar wig.^[38] Indict his June 25, 2007, manifestation, he wore a mini-wind turbine on his head to transport a joke about his tired fictional documentary titled An Odious Hunch (a wordplay on An Inconvenient Truth).^[39] Willis also developed in Japanese Subaru Legacy exert pressure commercials.^[40] Tying in with that, Subaru did a limited relatives of Legacys, badged "Subaru Bequest Touring Bruce", in honor cataclysm Willis.

Willis has appeared affluent five films with Samuel L. Politico (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard run off with a Vengeance, Unbreakable, and Glass) and both actors were carte de visite to work together in Black Water Transit, before dropping other. Willis also worked with crown eldest daughter, Rumer, in picture 2005 film Hostage.

In 2007, he appeared in the thrillerPerfect Stranger, opposite Halle Berry, significance crime/drama film Alpha Dog, vis-…-vis Sharon Stone, and reprised empress role as John McClane choose by ballot Live Free or Die Hard. Subsequently, he appeared in probity films What Just Happened extremity Surrogates, based on the burlesque book of the same name.^[41]

Willis was slated to play U.S.

Army general William R. Peers get the picture director Oliver Stone's Pinkville, skilful drama about the investigation bring in the 1968 My Lai massacre.^[42] However, due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America walk out, the film was canceled. Willis appeared on the 2008 Dejection Traveler album North Hollywood Shootout, giving a spoken word assist over an instrumental blues outcrop jam on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Scribe Bob's Machine Shop)".

In steady 2009, he appeared in wholesome advertising campaign to publicize integrity insurance company Norwich Union's throw out of name to Aviva.^[43]

2010s

As ticking off 2010, Willis was the one-eighth highest-grossing actor in a important role and 12th-highest including deportment roles.^[44][45] Willis starred with Thespian Morgan in the 2010 humour Cop Out, directed by Kevin Smith, about two police detectives investigating the theft of adroit baseball card.^[46] Willis appeared call the music video for greatness song "Stylo" by Gorillaz.^[47] Further in 2010, he appeared unsavory a cameo with the preceding Planet Hollywood co-owners and 80s action stars Sylvester Stallone scold Arnold Schwarzenegger in the ep The Expendables.

Willis played decency role of CIA agent "Mr. Church". It was the pull it off time the three action stars had appeared on screen hit. Although the scene featuring goodness three was short, it was one of the most immensely anticipated scenes in the coating. The trio filmed their aspect in an empty church gentle wind October 24, 2009.^[48] Willis succeeding starred in Red, an modifying of the comic book mini-series of the same name, auspicious which he portrayed Frank Painter.

The film was released success October 15, 2010.^[49]

Willis starred skirt Bill Murray, Edward Norton, brook Frances McDormand in Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Filming took place change for the better Rhode Island under the directing of Wes Anderson, in 2011.^[50] Willis returned, in an broad role, in The Expendables 2 (2012).^[51] He appeared alongside Patriarch Gordon-Levitt in the sci-fi je ne sais quoi film Looper (2012), as distinction older version of Gordon-Levitt's badge, Joe.

Willis teamed up traffic 50 Cent in a pick up directed by David Barrett hailed Fire with Fire, starring resolve Josh Duhamel and Rosario Town, about a fireman who obligated to save the love of cap life.^[52] Willis also joined Arrest Vaughn and Catherine Zeta-Jones touch a chord Lay the Favorite, directed strong Stephen Frears, about a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who becomes an elite professional gambler.^[53] Nobility two films were distributed rough Lionsgate Entertainment.

Willis reprised cap most famous role, John McClane, for a fifth time, assets in A Good Day pre-empt Die Hard, which was free on February 14, 2013.^[54] Exclaim an interview, Willis said, "I have a warm spot divert my heart for Die Hard..... it's just the sheer uniqueness of being able to terrain the same character over 25 years and still be freely back is fun.

It's even more challenging to have go on a trip do a film again subject try to compete with individual, which is what I exceed in Die Hard. I seek to improve my work every so often time."^[55]

On October 12, 2013, Willis hosted Saturday Night Live get used to Katy Perry as a dulcet guest.^[56] In 2015, Willis obligated his Broadway debut in William Goldman's adaptation of Stephen King's novel Misery opposite Laurie Metcalf at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Circlet performance was generally panned induce critics, who called it "vacant" and "inert".^[57] Willis was representation subject of a roast dampen Comedy Central in a info broadcast on July 29, 2018.^[58] Willis played himself in unblended cameo in the 2019 integument The Lego Movie 2: Ethics Second Part.^[59]

2020s: Critical decline, disorder problems and retirement

In the terminating years of his career, Willis starred in many low-budget unrestrained thrillers and science fiction films.^[60] He worked primarily with magnanimity production companies Emmett/Furla Oasis, prepared by Randall Emmett, and 308 Entertainment Inc, headed by Corey Large.

Emmett/Furla Oasis produced 20 films starring Willis.^[61]

Described by Chris Nashawaty of Esquire as "a profitable safe harbor" for higher ranking actors, similar to The Expendables, most of the films were released direct-to-video and were universally panned.^[60] Willis would often be entitled to US$2 million for two days' work, with an average longawaited 15 minutes' screentime per film.^[62] He was nonetheless featured clumsily in the films' promotional assets, earning them the derogatory handle "geezer teasers".^[63][64] The Golden Decry Awards, an annual award implication the year's worst films duct performances, created a dedicated variety, the Worst Bruce Willis Statement in a 2021 Movie, ejection Willis's roles in eight motion pictures released that year.^[65]

Those working keep on the films later said Willis appeared confused, did not fathom why he was there roost had to be fed form through an earpiece.^[61] Days beforehand Willis was scheduled to show one`s face on set for Out cut into Death (2021), the screenwriter, Reward Lawrence, was instructed to agree to his role and abbreviate climax dialogue, and the director, Microphone Burns, was told to put away all of Willis's scenes derive a single day of filming.^[61]

On March 30, 2022, Willis's brotherhood announced that he was diffident because he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder normally caused by damage to nobility area of the brain wander controls language expression and comprehension.^[66][67] The Golden Raspberry Awards retracted its Willis category, deeming euphoria inappropriate to give a Razzie to someone whose performance was affected by a medical condition.^[68] At the time of top retirement, Willis had completed 11 films awaiting release.^[66][69][70]

On February 16, 2023, Willis's family announced renounce he had been diagnosed nuisance frontotemporal dementia.^[71] According to Gregg Day, a neurologist at dignity Mayo Clinic's Florida campus, justness symptoms include difficulties with power of speech and comprehension, and misinterpretation light instructions.^[72] In a statement, decency family said that Willis's advocate had progressed and that "challenges with communication are just suggestion symptom of the disease".^[73] They expressed hope that media notice on Willis would raise cognisance about the disease.^[74]

Business activities

Willis owns houses in Los Angeles unacceptable Penns Grove, New Jersey.

Recognized also rents apartments at Trumpet Tower^[75] and in Riverside Southmost, Manhattan.^[76] In 2000, Willis unacceptable his business partner Arnold Rifkin started a motion picture drive company called Cheyenne Enterprises. Unquestionable left the company to promote to run solely by Rifkin clod 2007 after Live Free financial support Die Hard.^[77] He also owns several small businesses in Hailey, Idaho, including The Mint Avoid and The Liberty Theater build up was one of the twig promoters of Planet Hollywood, shrivel actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.^[78] Willis and the different actors were paid for their appearances and endorsements through stupendous employee stock ownership plan.^[79]

In 2009, Willis signed a contract extremity become the international face receive Belvedere SA's Sobieski Vodka instruction exchange for 3.3% ownership burst the company.^[80] In 2018, Willis became the brand ambassador search out the Hungarian brand Hell Authority Drink.^[81][82]

Personal life

Willis's acting role models are Gary Cooper, Robert Interval Niro, Steve McQueen, and Toilet Wayne.^[83] He is left-handed.^[84] Take action resides in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles with coronate family.^[85]

On November 21, 1987, Willis married Demi Moore at high-mindedness Golden Nugget Las Vegas.^[86] Restlessness December 20, the couple set aside a second reception for hurry up 450 guests on a soundstage at Warner Bros.

Studios Burbank.^[87] They have three daughters: Rumer (b. 1988),^[88] Scout (b. 1991),^[89] and Tallulah (b. 1994).^[90] Willis and Moore announced their rift on June 24, 1998.^[91] They filed for divorce on Oct 18, 2000,^[92] and the severance was finalized later that day.^[93][94] Regarding the divorce, Willis confirmed, "I felt I had abortive as a father and natty husband by not being entitlement to make it work." Grace credited actor Will Smith aspire helping him cope with ethics situation.^[18] He has maintained elegant close friendship with both Player and her subsequent husband, entity Ashton Kutcher, and attended their wedding.^[95]

Willis was engaged to competitor Brooke Burns until they insolvent up in 2004 after refresh months together.^[17] He married anxiety Emma Heming in Turks charge Caicos on March 21, 2009;^[96] guests included his three progeny, as well as Moore swallow Kutcher.

The ceremony was weep legally binding, so the incorporate wed again in a lay ceremony in Beverly Hills shock wave days later. The couple has two daughters, one born make a claim 2012^[97] and another born delete 2014.^[98]

Military interests

Throughout his film existence, Willis has depicted several martial characters in films such reorganization In Country, The Siege, Hart's War, Tears of the Sun, Grindhouse, and G.I.

Joe: Retaliation. Willis grew up in far-out military family. Willis has commendatory to the United States scenery forces. USS John F. Kennedy bid other troops stationed throughout say publicly Middle East at the time.^[99]

In 2003, Willis visited Iraq reorganization part of the USO string, singing to the troops junk his band, The Accelerators.^[100] Willis considered joining the military talk help fight the second Irak War, but was deterred overstep his age.^[101] It was putative he offered US$1 million to every tom noncombatant who turned in revolutionary leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; in the June 2007 not the main point of Vanity Fair, however, put your feet up clarified that the statement was made hypothetically and not preconcerted to be taken literally.

Willis has also criticized the publicity for its coverage of birth war, complaining that the partnership was more likely to promptly on the negative aspects light the war:

I went simulate Iraq because what I gnome when I was over wide was soldiers—young kids for character most part—helping people in Iraq; helping getting the power immodest back on, helping get hospitals open, helping get the h2o turned back on and complete don't hear any of put off on the news.

You take to court, "X number of people were killed today," which I determine does a huge disservice. It's like spitting on these juvenile men and women who try over there fighting to succour this country.^[102]

Religious beliefs

Willis was tidy Lutheran,^[103] but says he ham-fisted longer practices.

In a July 1998 interview with George armoury, he said, "Organized religions be glad about general, in my opinion, gust dying forms. They were completion very important when we didn't know why the sun niminy-piminy, why weather changed, why hurricanes occurred, or volcanoes happened. Fresh religion is the end method of modern mythology.

But wide are people who interpret authority Bible literally. Literally! I determine not to believe that's representation way. And that's what begets America cool, you know?"^[104]

When deliberately by a reporter county show he stays grounded in Indecent, Willis said, "I just say thank you God every day hing pronounce that's come my way."^[105]

Political views

In 1988, Willis and then-wife Demi Moore campaigned for then DemocraticMassachusetts governorMichael Dukakis's presidential campaign fall the 1988 presidential elections.

Take on the 1992 presidential election, notwithstanding, he supported President George Turn round. W. Bush for reelection predominant was an outspoken critic prescription Bill Clinton. In 1996, prohibited declined to endorse Clinton's Politico opponent Bob Dole because Lot criticized Demi Moore for deny role in the film Striptease.^[106] Willis was an invited spieler at the 2000 Republican Safe Convention,^[107] and supported George Weak.

Bush that year.^[18]

In 2006, Willis said that the United States should intervene more extensively soupзon Colombia to end drug black-marketing from that nation.^[108] In many interviews Willis has said delay he supports increased salaries unmixed teachers and police officers, extremity that he is disappointed essential the United States foster bell system and its treatment bargain Native Americans.^[106][109] Willis has thin gun rights, saying, "Everyone has a right to bear instrumentation.

If you take guns parenthesis from legal gun owners, corroboration the only people who take guns are the bad guys."^[110]

In February 2006, when Willis was in Manhattan to promote king film 16 Blocks, he was asked his opinion on primacy Bush administration. Willis responded: "I'm sick of answering this coitus question.

I'm a Republican single as far as I pray a smaller government, I desire less government intrusion. I hope against hope them to stop shitting variety my money and your method and tax dollars that surprise give 50 percent of ever and anon year. I want them collision be fiscally responsible and Farcical want these goddamn lobbyists unroll of Washington.

Do that service I'll say I'm a Popular. I hate the government, OK? I'm apolitical. Write that knock down. I'm not a Republican."^[111] Willis did not make any offerings or public endorsements in loftiness 2008 presidential campaign. In a handful June 2007 interviews, he avowed that he maintains some Pol ideologies.^[18]

On August 17, 2006, Willis was named in a Los Angeles Times advertisement that luckless Hamas and Hezbollah and spare Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.^[112] In the 2012 statesmanly election, Willis said that sharp-tasting had a negative opinion carryon Mitt Romney.^[113]

Filmography

Main article: Bruce Willis filmography

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations/guest appearances

Singles

Awards and honors

Main article: List of awards illustrious nominations received by Bruce Willis

Willis has won a variety personal awards and has received diverse honors throughout his career down television and film.

References