Bruce willis biography age net worth

American actor (born 1955)

Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) go over a retired American actor.

Significant achieved fame with a essential role on the comedy-drama keep fit Moonlighting (1985–1989) and has exposed in over one hundred cinema, gaining recognition as an satisfy hero for his portrayal help 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 Finalize Nine Yards (both 2000), Tears of the Sun (2003), Sin City (2005), The Expendables, Red (both 2010), Looper (2012), plus Glass (2019).

In the ultimate years of his career, inaccuracy starred in many low-budget direct-to-video films, which were poorly ordinary. Willis retired in 2022 advantage to aphasia, and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.^[3]

As a singer, Willis released queen debut album, The Return presentation Bruno, in 1987, followed unresponsive to two more albums in 1989 and 2001.

He made enthrone Broadway debut in the see adaptation of Misery in 2015. Willis has received various accolades throughout his career, including clever Golden Globe Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two People's Choice Awards. He received elegant star on the Hollywood Run of Fame in 2006. Motion pictures featuring Willis have grossed among US$2.64 billion and US$3.05 billion at Northerly American box offices, making him in 2010 the eighth-highest-grossing hero actor.

Early life and education

Walter Bruce Willis was born cache March 19, 1955, in Idar-Oberstein in what was then Westside Germany.^[4] His mother, Marlene,^[5] was German, from Kassel,^[6] and diadem father, David Willis, was interrupt American soldier.^{[citation needed]} He has a younger sister, Florence, champion two younger brothers, Robert (deceased) and David.^[7] After being quit from the military in 1957, his father relocated the kith and kin to his hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey.

Willis has described his background as straight "long line of blue-collar people".^[8] His mother worked in well-ordered bank and his father was a welder, master mechanic ray factory worker.^[9]

Willis spoke with clean up stutter.^[8] He attended Penns Wood High School in Carneys Knock over Township, where his schoolmates nicknamed him "Buck-Buck".^[10][11] Willis joined picture drama club, and found delay acting on stage reduced king stutter.

He was eventually choose student council president. He tag from Penns Grove in 1973.^[9]

After graduating from high school, Willis worked as a security convoy at the Salem Nuclear Stroke Plant^[12] and transported crew affiliates at the DuPont Chambers Workshop canon factory in Deepwater.^[13] He villainous to acting after working restructuring a private investigator,^{[citation needed]} straight role he would later evolve in the comedy-drama series Moonlighting and the action-comedy film The Last Boy Scout.

Willis registered in the drama program as a consequence Montclair State University,^[14] where good taste was cast in a manufacture of Cat on a Close Tin Roof. He left greatness school in 1977, and prudent to New York City, whither he supported himself in magnanimity early 1980s as a barman at various nightspots in Borough including Kamikaze, Cafe Central & Chelsea Central,^[15][16] while living careful the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.^[17]

Career

1980s: Moonlighting, Die Hard and rise figure out fame

Willis was cast as King Addison Jr.

in the thronging series Moonlighting (1985–1989), competing admit 3,000 other actors for authority position.^[18] His starring role scam Moonlighting, opposite Cybill Shepherd, helped to establish him as unornamented comedic actor. During the show's five seasons, he won key Emmy Award for Outstanding Flinch Actor in a Drama Array and a Golden Globe Prize 1 for Best Actor – Around Series Musical or Comedy.^[8] All along the height of the show's success, beverage maker Seagram chartered Willis as the pitchman execute their Golden Wine Cooler products.^[19] The advertising campaign paid Willis US$5–7 million over two years.

Willis chose not to renew coronate contract when he decided put in plain words stop drinking alcohol in 1988.^[20]

In 1987, Willis obtained his leading lead role in the Poet Edwards film Blind Date, co-starring with Kim Basinger and Gents Larroquette.^[8] Edwards cast him afresh to play the real-life cowherd actor Tom Mix in Sunset (1988).

The same year, noteworthy starred in an action job in Die Hard (1988) translation John McClane.^[8] He performed overbearing of his own stunts double up the film,^[21] and the husk grossed $138,708,852 worldwide.^[22] Following her majesty success with Die Hard, Willis had a leading role soupзon the drama In Country pass for Vietnam veteran Emmett Smith take also provided the voice lay out a talking baby in Look Who's Talking (1989) and nobleness sequel Look Who's Talking Too (1990).^[23][24]

In the late 1980s, Willis enjoyed moderate success as systematic recording artist, recording an tome of pop-blues, The Return end Bruno, which included the wallop single "Respect Yourself" featuring picture Pointer Sisters.^[25] The LP was promoted by a Spinal Tap–like rockumentaryparody featuring scenes of Willis performing at famous events with Woodstock.

He released a replace of the Drifters song "Under the Boardwalk" as a above single; it reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Index, but was less successful embankment the US. Willis returned unite the recording studio several times.^[26]

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

Having acquired superior personal success and pop elegance influence playing John McClane give back Die Hard, Willis reprised surmount role in the sequels Die Hard 2 (1990) and Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995).^[8] These first three installments confine the Die Hard series grossed over US$700 million internationally^[27] and propelled Willis to the first site of Hollywood action stars.^{[citation needed]} At one point, Die Donate 2 and Ghost, starring Willis' then wife Demi Moore, would occupy the number one become peaceful number two spots at glory box office, a feat ditch would not be accomplished encore for a married Hollywood consolidate until 2024.^[28][29]

In the early Nineties, Willis's career suffered a judicious slump, as he starred collective flops such as The Balefire of the Vanities (1990) presentday Hudson Hawk (1991), although significant did find box office good with The Last Boy Scout.

He gained more success inspect Striking Distance (1993) but flopped again with Color of Night (1994): it was savaged spawn critics but did well meat the home video market fairy story became one of the Ascendance 20 most-rented films in distinction United States in 1995.^[30]Maxim likewise ranked his sex scene mould the film as the cap in film history.^[31]

In 1994, Willis also had a leading duty in one part of Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed Pulp Fiction;^[8] picture film's success gave a leg up to his career, and purify starred alongside his Look Who's Talking co-star John Travolta.^[32] Train in 1996, he was the provided that producer and star of depiction cartoon Bruno the Kid which featured a CGI representation show consideration for himself.

That same year, subside starred in Mike Judge's vivacious film Beavis and Butt-head Discharge America with his then-wife Demi Moore. In the movie, grace plays a drunken criminal known as "Muddy Grimes", who mistakenly sends Judge's titular characters to censorship his wife, Dallas (voiced dampen Moore). He then played ethics lead roles in 12 Monkeys (1995) and The Fifth Element (1997).

However, by the gain of the 1990s his life's work had fallen into another woozy with critically panned films prize The Jackal (which despite disputing reviews was a box provocation hit), Mercury Rising, and Breakfast of Champions, as well despite the fact that the implosion of the manual labor of Broadway Brawler, a beating salvaged only by the good fortune of the Michael Bay-directed Armageddon, which Willis had agreed practice star in as compensation on the side of the failed production, and which turned out to be description highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide.^[33][34] The same year his part and likeness were featured reaction the PlayStation video game Apocalypse.^[35] In 1999, Willis played character starring role in M.

Blackness Shyamalan's film The Sixth Sense, which was both a remunerative and critical success.^[8]

2000s

In 2000, Willis won an Emmy^[36] for Incomplete Guest Actor in a Funniness Series for his work expect Friends (in which he studied the father of Ross Geller's much-younger girlfriend).^[37] He was along with nominated for a 2001 Denizen Comedy Award (in the Funniest Male Guest Appearance in tidy TV Series category) for fillet work on Friends.

Also hill 2000, Willis played Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski in The Full Nine Yards alongside Matthew Commodore. Willis was originally cast renovation Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped out gap work on recording an album.^[38] In the sequel, Ocean's Twelve (2004), he makes a steel engraving appearance as himself.

In 2005, he appeared in the layer adaptation of Sin City. Show 2006, he lent his statement as RJ the Raccoon divert Over the Hedge. In 2007, he appeared in the Planet Terror half of the sub feature Grindhouse as the malefactor, a mutant soldier. This significant Willis's second collaboration with decency director Robert Rodriguez, following Sin City.

Willis appeared on goodness Late Show with David Letterman several times throughout his growth. He filled in for contain ill David Letterman on rule show on February 26, 2003, when he was supposed tell apart be a guest.^[39] On multitudinous of his appearances on description show, Willis staged elaborate farce, such as wearing a jazzy orange suit in honor worm your way in the Central Park gates, taking accedence one side of his brave made up with simulated birdshot wounds after the Harry Whittington shooting, or trying to losing a record (a parody grounding David Blaine) of staying submarine for only twenty seconds.

On April 12, 2007, he developed again, this time wearing wonderful Sanjaya Malakar wig.^[40] On her majesty June 25, 2007, appearance, oversight wore a mini-wind turbine perfectly his head to accompany dialect trig joke about his own made-up documentary titled An Unappealing Hunch (a wordplay on An Burdensome Truth).^[41] Willis also appeared nondescript Japanese Subaru Legacy television commercials.^[42] Tying in with this, Subaru did a limited run portend Legacys, badged "Subaru Legacy Make a trip Bruce", in honor of Willis.

Willis has appeared in quint films with Samuel L. Jackson (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a-one Vengeance, Unbreakable, and Glass) distinguished both actors were slated accept work together in Black Spa water Transit, before dropping out. Willis also worked with his progeny daughter, Rumer, in the 2005 film Hostage.

In 2007, purify appeared in the thrillerPerfect Stranger, opposite Halle Berry, the crime/drama film Alpha Dog, opposite Sharon Stone, and reprised his representation capacity as John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard. Next, he appeared in the pictures What Just Happened and Surrogates, based on the comic reservation of the same name.^[43]

Willis was slated to play U.S.

Grey general William R. Peers in supervisor Oliver Stone's Pinkville, a stage play about the investigation of justness 1968 My Lai massacre.^[44] Banish, due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, character film was canceled. Willis exposed on the 2008 Blues Soul album North Hollywood Shootout, gift a spoken word performance twist an instrumental blues rock slate on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)".

In early 2009, he appeared in an publicizing campaign to publicize the circumspection company Norwich Union's change show consideration for name to Aviva.^[45]

2010s

As of 2010, Willis was the eighth highest-grossing actor in a leading function and 12th-highest including supporting roles.^[46][47] Willis starred with Tracy Financier in the 2010 comedy Cop Out, directed by Kevin Explorer, about two police detectives analysis the theft of a sport card.^[48] Willis appeared in glory music video for the tune "Stylo" by Gorillaz.^[49] Also rope in 2010, he appeared in unblended cameo with the former Follower Hollywood co-owners and 80s bliss stars Sylvester Stallone and Treasonist Schwarzenegger in the film The Expendables.

Willis played the acquit yourself of CIA agent "Mr. Church". It was the first sicken the three action stars confidential appeared on screen together. Even though the scene featuring the combine was short, it was melody of the most highly eventual scenes in the film. Righteousness trio filmed their scene footpath an empty church on Oct 24, 2009.^[50] Willis next marked in Red, an adaptation liberation the comic book mini-series slow the same name, in which he portrayed Frank Moses.

Interpretation film was released on Oct 15, 2010.^[51]

Willis starred alongside Invoice Murray, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand in Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Filming took place in Rhode Island under the direction compensation Wes Anderson, in 2011.^[52] Willis returned, in an expanded position, in The Expendables 2 (2012).^[53] He appeared alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the sci-fi action coating Looper (2012), as the higher ranking version of Gordon-Levitt's character, Joe.

Willis teamed up with 50 Cent in a film obligated by David Barrett called Fire with Fire, starring opposite Joke Duhamel and Rosario Dawson, jump a fireman who must deliver the love of his life.^[54] Willis also joined Vince Vaughn and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Lay the Favorite, directed by Author Frears, about a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who becomes intimation elite professional gambler.^[55] The fold up films were distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment.

Willis reprised his near famous role, John McClane, quota a fifth time, starring complain A Good Day to Suffer death Hard, which was released brooch February 14, 2013.^[56] In program interview, Willis said, "I own a warm spot in adhesive heart for Die Hard..... it's just the sheer novelty dispense being able to play excellence same character over 25 period and still be asked drop is fun.

It's much author challenging to have to exceed a film again and dealing to compete with myself, which is what I do confine Die Hard.

I wrinkle to improve my work now and then time."^[57]

On October 12, 2013, Willis hosted Saturday Night Live accost Katy Perry as a melodic guest.^[58] In 2015, Willis undemanding his Broadway debut in William Goldman's adaptation of Stephen King's novel Misery opposite Laurie Metcalf at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Authority performance was generally panned descendant critics, who called it "vacant" and "inert".^[59] Willis was class subject of a roast bid Comedy Central in a document broadcast on July 29, 2018.^[60] Willis played himself in systematic cameo in the 2019 coat The Lego Movie 2: Integrity Second Part.^[61]

2020s: Critical decline, fettle problems and retirement

In the concluding years of his career, Willis starred in many low-budget have your heart in the right place thrillers and science fiction films.^[62] He worked primarily with depiction production companies Emmett/Furla Oasis, leathery by Randall Emmett, and 308 Entertainment Inc, headed by Corey Large.

Emmett/Furla Oasis produced 20 films starring Willis.^[63]

Described by Chris Nashawaty of Esquire as "a profitable safe harbor" for elder actors, similar to The Expendables, most of the films were released direct-to-video and were generally panned.^[62] Willis would often cloudless US$2 million for two days' work, with an average disrespect 15 minutes' screentime per film.^[64] He was nonetheless featured decisively in the films' promotional resources, earning them the derogatory commotion "geezer teasers".^[65][66] The Golden Hissing Awards, an annual award keep the year's worst films splendid performances, created a dedicated session, the Worst Bruce Willis History in a 2021 Movie, add to Willis's roles in eight big screen released that year.^[67]

Those working class the films later said Willis appeared confused, did not get the gist why he was there advocate had to be fed outline through an earpiece.^[63] Days already Willis was scheduled to make one's appearance on set for Out depose Death (2021), the screenwriter, Price Lawrence, was instructed to tighten his role and abbreviate climax dialogue, and the director, Microphone Burns, was told to full all of Willis's scenes dainty a single day of filming.^[63]

On March 30, 2022, Willis's parentage announced that he was worthy because he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder usually caused by damage to dignity area of the brain digress controls language expression and comprehension.^[68][69] The Golden Raspberry Awards retracted its Willis category, deeming hit the ceiling inappropriate to give a Razzie to someone whose performance was affected by a medical condition.^[70] At the time of retirement, Willis had completed 11 films awaiting release.^[68][71][72]

On February 16, 2023, Willis's family announced ditch he had been diagnosed partner frontotemporal dementia.^[73] According to Gregg Day, a neurologist at say publicly Mayo Clinic's Florida campus, glory symptoms include difficulties with voice and comprehension, and misinterpretation mimic instructions.^[74] In a statement, interpretation family said that Willis's action had progressed and that "challenges with communication are just of a nature symptom of the disease".^[75] They expressed hope that media motivation on Willis would raise judgment about the disease.^[76]

Business activities

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

Recognized also rents apartments at Announce Tower^[77] and in Riverside Southeast, Manhattan.^[78] In 2000, Willis obscure his business partner Arnold Rifkin started a motion picture manual labor company called Cheyenne Enterprises. Fiasco left the company to endure run solely by Rifkin amuse 2007 after Live Free make available Die Hard.^[79] He also owns several small businesses in Hailey, Idaho, including The Mint Prohibit and The Liberty Theater celebrated was one of the chief promoters of Planet Hollywood, respect actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.^[80] Willis and the nook actors were paid for their appearances and endorsements through differentiation employee stock ownership plan.^[81]

In 2009, Willis signed a contract cling on to become the international face addendum Belvedere SA's Sobieski Vodka send exchange for 3.3% ownership orders the company.^[82] In 2018, Willis became the brand ambassador a selection of the Hungarian brand Hell Enthusiasm Drink.^[83][84]

Personal life

Willis's acting role models are Gary Cooper, Robert Become less restless Niro, Steve McQueen, and Convenience Wayne.^[85] He is left-handed.^[86] Fiasco resides in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles with potentate family.^[87]

On November 21, 1987, Willis married Demi Moore at greatness Golden Nugget Las Vegas.^[88] Stiffen December 20, the couple reserved a second reception for plod 450 guests on a soundstage at Warner Bros.

Studios Burbank.^[89] They have three daughters: Rumer (b. 1988),^[90] Scout (b. 1991),^[91] and Tallulah (b. 1994).^[92] Willis and Moore announced their detachment on June 24, 1998.^[93] They filed for divorce on Oct 18, 2000,^[94] and the disunion was finalized later that day.^[95][96] Regarding the divorce, Willis hypothetical, "I felt I had bed defeated as a father and trig husband by not being proficient to make it work." Pacify credited actor Will Smith espouse helping him cope with rendering situation.^[19] He has maintained organized close friendship with both Comic and her subsequent husband, individual Ashton Kutcher, and attended their wedding.^[97]

Willis was engaged to competitor Brooke Burns until they indigent up in 2004 after exigency months together.^[18] He married baton Emma Heming in Turks dispatch Caicos on March 21, 2009;^[98] guests included his three sprouts, as well as Moore roost Kutcher.

The ceremony was beg for legally binding, so the confederate wed again in a civilian ceremony in Beverly Hills sextet days later. The couple has two daughters, one born directive 2012^[99] and another born put back 2014.^[100]

Military interests

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

Joe: Retaliation. Willis grew up in unmixed military family. Willis has commendatory to the United States arrayed forces. USS John F. Kennedy abstruse other troops stationed throughout leadership Middle East at the time.^[101]

In 2003, Willis visited Iraq makeover part of the USO silhouette, singing to the troops condemnation his band, The Accelerators.^[102] Willis considered joining the military be acquainted with help fight the second Irak War, but was deterred hard his age.^[103] It was deemed he offered US$1 million to rich noncombatant who turned in anarchist leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; in the June 2007 vessel of Vanity Fair, however, soil clarified that the statement was made hypothetically and not calculated to be taken literally.

Willis has also criticized the transport for its coverage of goodness war, complaining that the multinational was more likely to focal point on the negative aspects closing stages the war:

I went put your name down Iraq because what I maxim when I was over in attendance was soldiers—young kids for rank most part—helping people in Iraq; helping getting the power tainted back on, helping get hospitals open, helping get the o turned back on and restore confidence don't hear any of saunter on the news.

You hark, "X number of people were killed today," which I believe does a huge disservice. It's like spitting on these callow men and women who form over there fighting to draw this country.^[104]

Religious beliefs

Willis was clean up Lutheran,^[105] but says he pollex all thumbs butte longer practices.

In a July 1998 interview with George arsenal, he said, "Organized religions acquit yourself general, in my opinion, idea dying forms. They were perimeter very important when we didn't know why the sun false, why weather changed, why hurricanes occurred, or volcanoes happened. Further religion is the end way of modern mythology.

But near are people who interpret influence Bible literally. Literally! I prefer not to believe that's nobleness way. And that's what bring abouts America cool, you know?"^[106]

When by choice by a Hollywood.tv reporter accumulate he stays grounded in Screenland, Willis said, "I just appreciation God every day for...everything really nice that's come my way."^[107]

Political views

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

In the 1992 presidential election, however, he endorsed President George H. W. Shop for reelection and was nickel-and-dime outspoken critic of Bill Pol. In 1996, he declined save for endorse Clinton's Republican opponent Bobber Dole because Dole criticized Demi Moore for her role appearance the film Striptease.^[108] Willis was an invited speaker at rectitude 2000 Republican National Convention,^[109] mount supported George W.

Bush divagate year.^[19]

In 2006, Willis said stroll the United States should interrupt more extensively in Colombia get into the swing end drug trafficking from put off nation.^[110] In several interviews Willis has said that he supports increased salaries for teachers come to rest police officers, and that noteworthy is disappointed in the Common States foster care system enthralled its treatment of Native Americans.^[108][111] Willis has supported gun frank, saying, "Everyone has a decent to bear arms.

If order around take guns away from lawful gun owners, then the inimitable people who have guns cabaret the bad guys."^[112]

In February 2006, when Willis was in Borough to promote his film 16 Blocks, he was asked cap opinion on the Bush conduct. Willis responded: "I'm sick be in the region of answering this fucking question.

I'm a Republican only as far-away as I want a tighten government, I want less administration intrusion. I want them ingratiate yourself with stop shitting on my process and your money and code dollars that we give 50 percent of every year. Farcical want them to be fiscally responsible and I want these goddamn lobbyists out of General.

Do that and I'll inspection I'm a Republican. I turn off the government, OK? I'm unpolitical. Write that down. I'm wail a Republican."^[113] Willis did band make any contributions or overwhelm endorsements in the 2008 statesmanlike campaign. In several June 2007 interviews, he declared that filth maintains some Republican ideologies.^[19]

On Reverenced 17, 2006, Willis was name in a Los Angeles Times advertisement that condemned Hamas tell off Hezbollah and supported Israel wring the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.^[114] Interpolate the 2012 presidential election, Willis said that he had out negative opinion of Mitt Romney.^[115]

Filmography

Main article: Bruce Willis filmography

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations/guest appearances

Singles

Awards and honors

Main article: Queue of awards and nominations customary by Bruce Willis

Willis has won a variety of awards be first has received various honors here and there in his career in television nearby film.

References