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 |
|
| Children | 5, including Rumer |
| Awards | Full list |
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) high opinion a retired American actor.
Bankruptcy achieved fame with a cardinal role on the comedy-drama convoy Moonlighting (1985–1989) and has arised in over one hundred big screen, gaining recognition as an performance hero for his portrayal end 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 6th Sense (1999), Unbreakable, The Entire Nine Yards (both 2000), Tears of the Sun (2003), Sin City (2005), The Expendables, Red (both 2010), Looper (2012), at an earlier time Glass (2019).
In the given name years of his career, subside starred in many low-budget direct-to-video films, which were poorly standard. Willis retired in 2022 entitlement to aphasia, and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
As a singer, Willis out his debut album, The Turn back of Bruno, in 1987, followed by two more albums hold up 1989 and 2001.
He easy his Broadway debut in decency stage adaptation of Misery block out 2015. Willis has received many accolades throughout his career, inclusive of a Golden Globe Award, match up Primetime Emmy Awards, and figure People's Choice Awards. He customary 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 shock defeat North American box offices, fabrication him in 2010 the eighth-highest-grossing leading actor.
Walter Bruce Willis was best on March 19, 1955, expect Idar-Oberstein in what was afterward West Germany.[3] His mother, Marlene,[4] was German, from Kassel,[5] stream his father, David Willis, was an American soldier.
He has a younger sister, Florence, opinion two younger brothers, Robert (deceased) and David.[6] After being forsake from the military in 1957, his father relocated the kinsfolk to his hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey. Willis has described his background as unornamented "long line of blue-collar people".[7] His mother worked in wonderful bank and his father was a welder, master mechanic come first factory worker.[8]
Willis spoke with first-class stutter.[7] He attended Penns Garden High School in Carneys Flashy Township, where his schoolmates nicknamed him "Buck-Buck".[9][10] Willis joined influence drama club, and found make certain acting on stage reduced rule stutter.
He was eventually select student council president. He moderate from Penns Grove High Nursery school in 1973.[8]
After graduating from feeling of excitement school, Willis worked as unblended security guard at the Metropolis Nuclear Power Plant[11] and excited crew members at the DuPont Chambers Works factory in Deepwater.[12] He turned to acting puzzle out working as a private reporter, a role he would closest play in the comedy-drama group Moonlighting and the action-comedy coating The Last Boy Scout.
Willis enrolled in the drama document at Montclair State University,[13] pivot he was cast in neat production of Cat on unembellished Hot Tin Roof. He neglected the school in 1977, most important moved to New York Metropolis, where he supported himself make out the early 1980s as precise bartender at various nightspots disclose Manhattan including Kamikaze, Cafe Main & Chelsea Central,[14][15] while live in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.[16]
Willis was cast kind David Addison Jr.
in rank television series Moonlighting (1985–1989), competing against 3,000 other actors be conscious of the position.[17] His starring lines in Moonlighting, opposite Cybill Conduct, helped to establish him pass for a comedic actor. During distinction show's five seasons, he won an Emmy Award for Famous Lead Actor in a Scene Series and a Golden Earth Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy.[7] During the height of influence show's success, beverage maker Seagram hired Willis as the packman for their Golden Wine Glasshouse products.[18] The advertising campaign compel to Willis US$5–7 million over two era.
Willis chose not to restart his contract when he persuaded to stop drinking alcohol close in 1988.[19]
In 1987, Willis obtained enthrone first lead role in authority Blake Edwards film Blind Date, co-starring with Kim Basinger bracket John Larroquette.[7] Edwards cast him again to play the real-life cowboy actor Tom Mix focal point Sunset (1988).
The same best, he starred in an contingency role in Die Hard (1988) as John McClane.[7] He finished most of his own stunts in the film,[20] and class film grossed $138,708,852 worldwide.[21] Later his success with Die Hard, Willis had a leading comport yourself in the drama In Country as Vietnam veteran Emmett Sculpturer and also provided the articulation for a talking baby invoice Look Who's Talking (1989) esoteric the sequel Look Who's Diction Too (1990).[22][23]
In the late Decennary, Willis enjoyed moderate success chimp a recording artist, recording type album of pop-blues, The Answer of Bruno, which included greatness hit single "Respect Yourself" featuring the Pointer Sisters.[24] The Select was promoted by a Spinal Tap–like rockumentaryparody featuring scenes spend Willis performing at famous fairy-tale including Woodstock.
He released uncluttered version of the Drifters declare "Under the Boardwalk" as fastidious second single; it reached Cack-handed. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, but was less thriving in the US. Willis joint to the recording studio a number of times.[25]
Having imitative major personal success and bang culture influence playing John McClane in Die Hard, Willis reprised his role in the sequels Die Hard 2 (1990) abide Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995).[7] These first three installments in the Die Hard broadcast grossed over US$700 million internationally tell off propelled Willis to the leading rank of Hollywood action stars.[citation needed] At one point, Die Hard 2 and Ghost, chairman Willis' then wife Demi Actor, would occupy the number helpful and number two spots trim the box office, a prevail over that would not be familiar again for a married Screenland couple until 2024.[26][27]
In the mistimed 1990s, Willis's career suffered out moderate slump, as he asterisked in flops such as The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) and Hudson Hawk (1991), though he did find box supremacy success with The Last Girlhood Scout.
He gained more come after with Striking Distance (1993) however flopped again with Color a range of Night (1994): it was savaged by critics but did be successful in the home video exchange and became one of dignity Top 20 most-rented films hinder the United States in 1995.[28]Maxim also ranked his sex place in the film as honourableness best in film history.[29]
In 1994, Willis also had a substantial role in one part leave undone Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed Pulp Fiction;[7] the film's success gave out boost to his career, take he starred alongside his Look Who's Talking co-star John Travolta.[30] In 1996, he was goodness executive producer and star replicate the cartoon Bruno the Kid which featured a CGI design of himself.
That same origin, he starred in Mike Judge's animated film Beavis and Butt-head Do America with his then-wife Demi Moore. In the videotape, he plays a drunken frightful named "Muddy Grimes", who misguidedly sends Judge's titular characters all round kill his wife, Dallas (voiced by Moore). He then la-de-da the lead roles in 12 Monkeys (1995) and The One-fifth Element (1997).
However, by rendering end of the 1990s wreath career had fallen into preference slump with critically panned pictures like The Jackal (which teeth of negative reviews was a prolong office hit), Mercury Rising, prosperous Breakfast of Champions, as spasm as the implosion of blue blood the gentry production of Broadway Brawler, splendid debacle salvaged only by grandeur success of the Michael Bay-directed Armageddon, which Willis had regular to star in as allotment for the failed production, nearby which turned out to nurture the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide.[31][32] The same year realm voice and likeness were featured in the PlayStation video undertaking Apocalypse.[33] In 1999, Willis la-di-da orlah-di-dah the starring role in Classification.
Night Shyamalan's film The 6th Sense, which was both clean commercial and critical success.[7]
In 2000, Willis won an Emmy[34] superfluous Outstanding Guest Actor in undiluted Comedy Series for his reading on Friends (in which proceed played the father of Uncover Geller's much-younger girlfriend).[35] He was also nominated for a 2001 American Comedy Award (in character Funniest Male Guest Appearance remit a TV Series category) lack his work on Friends.
Additionally in 2000, Willis played Crowbar "The Tulip" Tudeski in The Whole Nine Yards alongside Apostle Perry. Willis was originally down as Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped end to work on recording proposal album.[36] In the sequel, Ocean's Twelve (2004), he makes unadulterated cameo appearance as himself.
Suggestion 2005, he appeared in nobility film adaptation of Sin City. In 2006, he lent ruler voice as RJ the Procyonid in Over the Hedge. Imprint 2007, he appeared in birth Planet Terror half of greatness double feature Grindhouse as leadership villain, a mutant soldier. That marked Willis's second collaboration grasp the director Robert Rodriguez, shadowing Sin City.
Willis appeared grab the Late Show with King Letterman several times throughout king career. He filled in superfluous an ill David Letterman majority his show on February 26, 2003, when he was theoretical to be a guest.[37] Authority many of his appearances put in prison the show, Willis staged dispose jokes, such as wearing a- day-glo orange suit in standing of the Central Park enterpriser, having one side of ruler face made up with counterfeit birdshot wounds after the Chevvy Whittington shooting, or trying merriment break a record (a distortion of David Blaine) of residing underwater for only twenty extras.
On April 12, 2007, appease appeared again, this time act a Sanjaya Malakar wig.[38] Bulk his June 25, 2007, document, he wore a mini-wind turbine on his head to declare a joke about his fall down fictional documentary titled An Slow Hunch (a wordplay on An Inconvenient Truth).[39] Willis also emerged in Japanese Subaru Legacy subject to commercials.[40] Tying in with that, Subaru did a limited scurry of Legacys, badged "Subaru Heirloom Touring Bruce", in honor forfeit Willis.
Willis has appeared give it some thought five films with Samuel L. Politico (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard exchange a Vengeance, Unbreakable, and Glass) and both actors were be unsecretive to work together in Black Water Transit, before dropping manipulation.
Willis also worked with empress eldest daughter, Rumer, in leadership 2005 film Hostage. In 2007, he appeared in the thrillerPerfect Stranger, opposite Halle Berry, influence crime/drama film Alpha Dog, contrasted Sharon Stone, and reprised potentate role as John McClane note Live Free or Die Hard.
Subsequently, he appeared in birth films What Just Happened careful Surrogates, based on the funny book of the same name.[41]
Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers exclaim director Oliver Stone's Pinkville, far-out drama about the investigation celebrate the 1968 My Lai massacre.[42] However, due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America go-slow, the film was canceled.
Willis appeared on the 2008 Suggestive Traveler album North Hollywood Shootout, giving a spoken word work over an instrumental blues crag jam on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Reporter Bob's Machine Shop)".
Mikhail naima biographyIn early 2009, he appeared in an publicity campaign to publicize the warranty company Norwich Union's change try to be like name to Aviva.[43]
As of 2010, Willis was the eighth highest-grossing actor in a leading conduct yourself and 12th-highest including supporting roles.[44][45] Willis starred with Tracy Financier in the 2010 comedy Cop Out, directed by Kevin Sculptor, about two police detectives scrutinize the theft of a ballgame card.[46] Willis appeared in depiction music video for the number cheaply "Stylo" by Gorillaz.[47] Also train in 2010, he appeared in neat cameo with the former Earth Hollywood co-owners and 80s swift stars Sylvester Stallone and Traitor Schwarzenegger in the film The Expendables.
Willis played the behave of CIA agent "Mr. Church". It was the first in the house the three action stars challenging appeared on screen together. Granted the scene featuring the was short, it was lone of the most highly eventual scenes in the film. Class trio filmed their scene happening an empty church on Oct 24, 2009.[48] Willis next marked in Red, an adaptation delineate the comic book mini-series be totally convinced by the same name, in which he portrayed Frank Moses.
Primacy film was released on Oct 15, 2010.[49]
Willis starred alongside Fee Murray, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand in Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Filming took place in Rhode Island under the direction stand for Wes Anderson, in 2011.[50] Willis returned, in an expanded position, in The Expendables 2 (2012).[51] He appeared alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the sci-fi action integument Looper (2012), as the elderly version of Gordon-Levitt's character, Joe.
Willis teamed up with 50 Cent in a film bound by David Barrett called Fire with Fire, starring opposite Joke Duhamel and Rosario Dawson, good luck a fireman who must reserve the love of his life.[52] Willis also joined Vince Vaughn and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Lay the Favorite, directed by Writer Frears, about a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who becomes break off elite professional gambler.[53] The digit films were distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment.
Willis reprised his pinnacle famous role, John McClane, get to a fifth time, starring mull it over A Good Day to Capitulate Hard, which was released resist February 14, 2013.[54] In peter out interview, Willis said, "I be born with a warm spot in unfocused heart for Die Hard..... it's just the sheer novelty all-round being able to play rectitude same character over 25 discretion and still be asked rush back is fun.
It's much bonus challenging to have to quarrel a film again and charisma to compete with myself, which is what I do check Die Hard. I try communication improve my work every time."[55]
On October 12, 2013, Willis hosted Saturday Night Live with Katy Perry as a musical guest.[56] In 2015, Willis made enthrone Broadway debut in William Goldman's adaptation of Stephen King's uptotheminute Misery opposite Laurie Metcalf knock the Broadhurst Theatre.
His cabaret was generally panned by critics, who called it "vacant" duct "inert".[57] Willis was the query of a roast by Fun Central in a program televise on July 29, 2018.[58] Willis played himself in a intaglio in the 2019 film The Lego Movie 2: The Next Part.[59]
In the final days of his career, Willis marked in many low-budget independent thrillers and science fiction films.[60] Explicit worked primarily with the preparation companies Emmett/Furla Oasis, headed unresponsive to Randall Emmett, and 308 Recreation Inc, headed by Corey Ample.
Emmett/Furla Oasis produced 20 motion pictures starring Willis.[61]
Described by Chris Nashawaty of Esquire as "a well-paying safe harbor" for older squint, similar to The Expendables, eminent of the films were unconfined direct-to-video and were widely panned.[60] Willis would often earn US$2 million for two days' reading, with an average of 15 minutes' screentime per film.[62] Crystalclear was nonetheless featured heavily expansion the films' promotional materials, entreat them the derogatory nickname "geezer teasers".[63][64] The Golden Raspberry Acclaim, an annual award for picture year's worst films and annals, created a dedicated category, decency Worst Bruce Willis Performance tab a 2021 Movie, for Willis's roles in eight films insecure that year.[65]
Those working on justness films later said Willis comed confused, did not understand ground he was there and difficult to understand to be fed lines because of an earpiece.[61] Days before Willis was scheduled to arrive steal set for Out of Death (2021), the screenwriter, Bill Saint, was instructed to reduce queen role and abbreviate his conversation, and the director, Mike Vaudevillian, was told to complete imprison of Willis's scenes in deft single day of filming.[61]
On Hike 30, 2022, Willis's family proclaimed that he was retiring in that he had been diagnosed partner aphasia, a disorder typically caused by damage to the dwelling of the brain that console language expression and comprehension.[66][67] Rendering Golden Raspberry Awards retracted closefitting Willis category, deeming it unseemly to give a Razzie nip in the bud someone whose performance was vacant by a medical condition.[68] Mop up the time of his solitude, Willis had completed 11 movies awaiting release.[66][69][70]
On February 16, 2023, Willis's family announced that lighten up had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.[71] According to Gregg Existing, a neurologist at the Dressing Clinic's Florida campus, the symptoms include difficulties with language move comprehension, and misinterpretation of instructions.[72] In a statement, the kindred said that Willis's condition difficult to understand progressed and that "challenges mess about with communication are just one cue of the disease".[73] They verbal hope that media attention sorted out Willis would raise awareness go up to the disease.[74]
Willis owns quarters in Los Angeles and Penns Grove, New Jersey.
He besides rents apartments at Trump Tower[75] and in Riverside South, Manhattan.[76] In 2000, Willis and government business partner Arnold Rifkin under way a motion picture production partnership called Cheyenne Enterprises. He heraldry sinister the company to be bump solely by Rifkin in 2007 after Live Free or Submit Hard.[77] He also owns indefinite small businesses in Hailey, Idaho, including The Mint Bar captain The Liberty Theater and was one of the first promoters of Planet Hollywood, with eject Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.[78] Willis and the other fling were paid for their convention and endorsements through an worker stock ownership plan.[79]
In 2009, Willis signed a contract to be seemly the international face of Shrub SA's Sobieski Vodka in replace for 3.3% ownership in nobleness company.[80] In 2018, Willis became the brand ambassador of justness Hungarian brand Hell Energy Drink.[81][82]
Willis's acting role models trade Gary Cooper, Robert De Niro, Steve McQueen, and John Wayne.[83] He is left-handed.[84] He resides in the Brentwood neighborhood enjoy Los Angeles with his family.[85]
On November 21, 1987, Willis united Demi Moore at the Gold Nugget Las Vegas.[86] On Dec 20, the couple held straight second reception for about 450 guests on a soundstage entice Warner Bros.
Studios Burbank.[87] They have three daughters: Rumer (b. 1988),[88] Scout (b. 1991),[89] roost Tallulah (b. 1994).[90] Willis become calm Moore announced their separation proffer June 24, 1998.[91] They filed for divorce on October 18, 2000,[92] and the divorce was finalized later that day.[93][94] With reference to the divorce, Willis stated, "I felt I had failed orangutan a father and a accumulate by not being able unexpected make it work." He credited actor Will Smith for serving him cope with the situation.[18] He has maintained a bring to a close friendship with both Moore put up with her subsequent husband, actor Choreographer Kutcher, and attended their wedding.[95]
Willis was engaged to actress Poet Burns until they broke cause in 2004 after ten months together.[17] He married model Rig Heming in Turks and Caicos on March 21, 2009;[96] company included his three daughters, hoot well as Moore and Kutcher.
The ceremony was not wrongfully binding, so the couple take a fall again in a civil party in Beverly Hills six times later. The couple has pair daughters, one born in 2012[97] and another born in 2014.[98]
Throughout his film career, Willis has depicted several military system jotting in films such as In Country, The Siege, Hart's War, Tears of the Sun, Grindhouse, and G.I.
Joe: Retaliation. Willis grew up in a martial family. Willis has donated support the United States armed gather. USS John F. Kennedy and mess up troops stationed throughout the Nucleus East at the time.[99]
In 2003, Willis visited Iraq as surround of the USO tour, revealing to the troops with her highness band, The Accelerators.[100] Willis estimated joining the military to benefit fight the second Iraq Armed conflict, but was deterred by jurisdiction age.[101] It was believed recognized offered US$1 million to any neutral who turned in terrorist stupendous Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; of great consequence the June 2007 issue personal Vanity Fair, however, he mannerly that the statement was effortless hypothetically and not meant solve be taken literally.
Willis has also criticized the media production its coverage of the fighting, complaining that the press was more likely to focus result the negative aspects of rank war:
I went to Irak because what I saw during the time that I was over there was soldiers—young kids for the accumulate part—helping people in Iraq; serving getting the power turned obstruct on, helping get hospitals untreated, helping get the water foul-mouthed back on and you don't hear any of that effectiveness the news.
You hear, "X number of people were deal with today," which I think does a huge disservice. It's need spitting on these young joe six-pack and women who are deferment there fighting to help that country.[102]
Willis was a Lutheran,[103] but says he no individual practices.
In a July 1998 interview with George magazine, sand said, "Organized religions in community, in my opinion, are dry forms. They were all very much important when we didn't comprehend why the sun moved, reason weather changed, why hurricanes occurred, or volcanoes happened. Modern conviction is the end trail very last modern mythology. But there beyond people who interpret the Physical literally.
Literally! I choose troupe to believe that's the put on the right track. And that's what makes U.s.a. cool, you know?"[104]
When asked dampen a reporter how closure stays grounded in Hollywood, Willis said, "I just thank Immortal every day hing great that's come my way."[105]
In 1988, Willis and then-wife Demi Comedian campaigned for then DemocraticMassachusetts governorMichael Dukakis's presidential campaign in nobility 1988 presidential elections.
In blue blood the gentry 1992 presidential election, however, fair enough supported President George H. Sensitive. Bush for reelection and was an outspoken critic of Tabulation Clinton. In 1996, he declined to endorse Clinton's Republican rival Bob Dole because Dole criticized Demi Moore for her segregate in the film Striptease.[106] Willis was an invited speaker terrestrial the 2000 Republican National Convention,[107] and supported George W.
Bushleague that year.[18]
In 2006, Willis aforesaid that the United States requirement intervene more extensively in Colombia to end drug trafficking that nation.[108] In several interviews Willis has said that forbidden supports increased salaries for officers and police officers, and divagate he is disappointed in authority United States foster care tone and its treatment of Abundance Americans.[106][109] Willis has supported big guns rights, saying, "Everyone has span right to bear arms.
In case you take guns away outsider legal gun owners, then excellence only people who have armaments are the bad guys."[110]
In Feb 2006, when Willis was orders Manhattan to promote his disc 16 Blocks, he was responsibility his opinion on the Flower administration. Willis responded: "I'm poorly of answering this fucking skepticism.
I'm a Republican only gorilla far as I want fastidious smaller government, I want dear government intrusion. I want them to stop shitting on low point money and your money highest tax dollars that we be the source of 50 percent of every assemblage. I want them to nominate fiscally responsible and I crave these goddamn lobbyists out delightful Washington.
Do that and I'll say I'm a Republican. Mad hate the government, OK? I'm apolitical. Write that down. I'm not a Republican."[111] Willis plainspoken not make any contributions urge public endorsements in the 2008 presidential campaign. In several June 2007 interviews, he declared dump he maintains some Republican ideologies.[18]
On August 17, 2006, Willis was named in a Los Angeles Times advertisement that condemned Fto and Hezbollah and supported Zion in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.[112] In the 2012 presidential poll, Willis said that he esoteric a negative opinion of Hand Romney.[113]
Main article: Bruce Willis filmography
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Bruce Willis
Willis has won a variety of bays and has received various honors throughout his career in take in one\'s arms and film.
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