A Look Back At Bruce Willis’ Career Before He Stepped Away From What ‘Meant So Much To Him’

Aug 25, 2022

When it comes to top-notch actors in Hollywood, Bruce Willis is a name that many people would put on that list. He is most famous for his roles in action films but has also shown to have quite a diverse set of talents, appearing in films and television shows in a variety of genres and even showing off his skills as a singer. On top of that, Willis is also adored for his amazing qualities as a husband and father.

Willis was born as Walter Bruce Willis on Mar. 19, 1955, in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. He grew up with a German mother and an American father, who was stationed in the United States military at the time of his birth. In 1957, the family moved to the United States and raised Willis in Penns Grove, New Jersey.

Willis discovered his passion for acting in his teens and began participating in his high school's dramatic arts program. He later moved to New York City and appeared in a few off-Broadway plays before finally finding his footing in the world of television and film.

He had his breakthrough in 1985 with the TV series "Moonlighting," and has since appeared in over 70 films. Some of his most loved performances include his short time on the sitcom "Friends," his role in "The Sixth Sense," and his role as John McClane in the "Die Hard" franchise.

The notable star announced his retirement on Mar. 30, 2022, and has since received plenty of support from his fans, friends and family members. Let's take a look at Willis' amazing career.

Willis has been a pivotal figure in the acting world for more than 40 years, which is why fans and loved ones were left heartbroken when they heard the news that he was retiring from the field. During his acting career, Willis appeared in a variety of films and television shows. Some of his most popular films include "Pulp Fiction," "Armageddon," "The Sixth Sense," "Looper" and the "Die Hard" franchise.

As John McClane, Willis shaped the image of the American action hero. The dirty undershirt he wore as the character actually turned into a piece of cultural property and can now be seen in the National Museum of American History.

In his private life, Willis has had some ups and downs when it comes to finding love. He married two times and is the father of five daughters. Willis first married actress Demi Moore in 1987, and the two had three daughters together: Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. Although the couple was regarded as a Hollywood powerhouse at the time, the marriage was not working out behind closed doors. Willis and Moore divorced in 2000, but they have remained good friends and great co-parents ever since.

In 2009, Willis married his second wife, model Emma Heming. Some of his wedding guests even included his ex-wife and her then-husband, Ashton Kutcher. To this day, Willis and Heming are still happily married and have two more daughters together, Mabel and Evelyn Penn.

While many of his films brought him great fame and fortune, the "Die Hard" franchise is no doubt responsible for much of Willis' wealth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he earned more than $50 million for all four movies and currently has an estimated net worth of $250 million.

The retired actor definitely made a lasting impression on fans and critics with many of his roles. Although some of his more recent films weren’t as successful, there’s no denying that Willis will always be loved for his work as an actor.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly back in 2007, Willis explained that he almost wasn’t able to be part of the movie “Die Hard.” He said that the 1980s show “Moonlighting” had become so popular that he had “already read the script for ‘Die Hard’ once, but had to pass because of the show.” Fortunately, something remarkable happened, and Willis was able to take on the iconic role of John McClane.

“As it turns out, a miracle happened – Cybill Shepherd got pregnant and they shut down the show for 11 weeks – just the right amount of time for me to run around over at Nakatomi Tower,” Willis said.

Before landing the gig, the role was offered to several other actors, according to Entertainment Tonight. Some of those stars included Richard Gere, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone and Burt Reynolds. Even though any one of these big-name stars surely would have taken on the job exceptionally well, there’s no denying that Willis was born to play John McClane.

“...Most of what went into making John McClane from a character standpoint was the South Jersey Bruce Willis – that attitude and disrespect for authority, that gallows sense of humor, the reluctant hero,” Willis said. “What I always say about John McClane is if he had the choice of someone else stepping up and doing what he had to do, he would let them do it.”

Willis will always be an icon, but when asked what he is most famous for, Willis said, "Violence, laughter and 'Looper.'" Still, the retired actor admitted that he can't help but say his famous catchphrase from time to time: "Yippee ki yay!"

On Mar. 30, 2022, the world was left heartbroken at the announcement of Willis' retirement. Both Heming and Moore posted the same picture and caption on their respective Instagram accounts, explaining that Willis was diagnosed with aphasia and therefore needed to take a step away from acting.

According to John Hopkins, aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage in a specific area of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension. This disorder leaves a person unable to communicate with others effectively and can sometimes even cause the afflicted to no longer understand the speech of others correctly.

In their Instagram posts, Heming and Moore wrote:

"To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

They continued:

"This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him."

The post concluded, "As Bruce always says, 'Live it up,' and together we plan to do just that."

What do you think about Bruce Willis' successful career and legacy as an actor? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your family and friends.