Bruce Willis
Born: 1955-03-19 in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany [now Germany]
Known For: Acting
Biography
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is an American retired actor. His career began on the off-Broadway stage in the 1970s, and he then achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series “Moonlighting” (1985–1989). He went on to appear in over 70 films, gaining widespread recognition as an action hero after his portrayal of John McClane in the “Die Hard” franchise (1988–2013) and other subsequent roles. Willis's other credits include “The Last Boy Scout” (1991), “Pulp Fiction” (1994), “12 Monkeys” (1995), “Last Man Standing” (1996), “The Fifth Element” (1997), “Armageddon” (1998), “The Sixth Sense” (1999), “Hart's War” (2002), “Tears of the Sun” (2003), “Hostage” (2005), “Lucky Number Slevin” (2006), “Surrogates” (2009), “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012), “Rock the Kasbah” (2015), and “Motherless Brooklyn” (2019). As a singer, Willis released his debut album The Return of Bruno in 1987, followed by two more successful albums in 1989 and 2001. He made his Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of Misery in 2015. Willis has received numerous accolades during his career, including a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two People's Choice Awards. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. In March 2022, Willis announced that he was retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, which affects his ability to communicate. In February 2023, Willis' family announced that they had received a more accurate diagnosis and he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Filmography
2025
- Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special as Self (archive footage)
- Gorillaz: House of Kong as Self (archive footage)
2023
- Assassin as Valmora
- Detective Knight: Independence as Det. James Knight
- The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump as Self (archive footage)
- Sly as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2022
- Vendetta as Donnie Fetter
- Wrong Place as Frank
- Gasoline Alley as Detective Freeman
- White Elephant as Arnold Soloman
- Wire Room as Shane Mueller
- A Day to Die as Alston
- Corrective Measures as Julius 'The Lobe' Loeb
- Fortress: Sniper's Eye as Robert
- Paradise City as Ian Swan
- Detective Knight: Rogue as Det. James Knight
- Detective Knight: Redemption as Det. James Knight
- American Siege as Ben Watts
2021
- Apex as Thomas Malone
- Deadlock as Ron Whitlock
- Fortress as Robert
- Cosmic Sin as James Ford
- Midnight in the Switchgrass as Karl Helter
- Survive the Game as David
- Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend as Self (archive footage)
- Out of Death as Jack Harris
2020
- Breach as Clay Young
- Hard Kill as Chalmers
- Survive the Night as Frank
- Bruce Willis, l'indestructible
2019
- Glass as David Dunn / The Overseer
- The Movies That Made Us as Det. John McClane (archive footage)
- The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part as Bruce Willis (voice)
- Between Two Ferns: The Movie as Bruce Willis (archive footage)
- 10 Minutes Gone as Rex
- Motherless Brooklyn as Frank Minna
- Trauma Center as Lt. Det. Wakes
2018
- Death Wish as Paul Kersey
- Air Strike as Jack
- Acts of Violence as Detective James Avery
- Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis as Self
- James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction as Self
- Reprisal as James
2017
- The Orville as Groogen (voice)
- Split as David Dunn (uncredited)
- John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- The Rolling Stones: From the Vault - Sticky Fingers Live at the Fonda Theatre 2015 as Self - Audience Member
- Once Upon a Time in Venice as Steve
- First Kill as Howell
2016
- Precious Cargo as Eddie
- Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 as Self
- Marauders as Hubert
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- Vice as Julian
- Rock the Kasbah as Bombay Brian
- Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' as Self / Cap Sharp
- Extraction as Leonard Turner
2014
- The Prince as Omar
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For as Hartigan
- Altman as Self
2013
- G.I. Joe: Retaliation as Joe Colton
- RED 2 as Frank Moses
- A Good Day to Die Hard as John McClane
- Bruce Willis: Why the Legend Never Dies as Narrator (voice) / Self
2012
- The Expendables 2 as Church
- The Cold Light of Day as Martin
- Fire with Fire as Mike Cella
- Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen as (archive footage)
- Close Up as Self (archive footage)
- Looper as Old Joe
- Moonrise Kingdom as Captain Sharp
- Lay the Favorite as Dink Heimowitz
- B.B. King: The Life of Riley as Self
2011
- His Way as Self
- Catch.44 as Mel
- Setup as Biggs
- Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts as Self
- The Black Mamba as Mister Suave
2010
- RED as Frank Moses
- The Expendables as Mr. Church (uncredited)
- Cop Out as Jimmy Monroe
- Inferno: The Making of 'The Expendables' as Self
- I'm Still Here as Self - Guest
2009
- Surrogates as Tom Greer
2008
- Shine a Light as Self - Concert Audience (uncredited)
- Assassination of a High School President as Principal Kirkpatrick
- What Just Happened as Self
- Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis as Self
2007
- Live Free or Die Hard as John McClane
- Planet Terror as Lieutenant Muldoon
- Nancy Drew as Bruce (uncredited)
- The Astronaut Farmer as Doug Masterson (uncredited)
- Grindhouse as Muldoon (segment "Planet Terror")
- Perfect Stranger as Harrison Hill
2006
- Over the Hedge as RJ (voice)
- Alpha Dog as Sonny Truelove
- 16 Blocks as Jack Mosley
- Tony Bennett: An American Classic as Self - Speaker
- Lucky Number Slevin as Mr. Goodkat
- Fast Food Nation as Harry Rydell
- America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions as Narrator (voice)
- The Hip Hop Project as Self
- Hammy's Boomerang Adventure as RJ (voice)
2005
- Sin City as Hartigan
- The Reichen Show as Self - Guest
- Hostage as Jeff Talley
- My Date with Drew as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
- Ocean's Twelve as Bruce Willis
- Grand Champion as Mr. Blandford
- The Whole Ten Yards as Jimmy Tudeski
- Touching Evil ... (Executive Producer)
- Genius. A Night for Ray Charles as Self
2003
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- Tears of the Sun as Lieutenant A.K. Waters
- Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle as William Rose Bailey (uncredited)
- Rugrats Go Wild as Spike (voice)
2002
- Top Gear as Self
- Hart's War as Col. William A. McNamara
- True West as Lee
- The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course ... (Executive Producer)
- Pulp Fiction: The Facts as Self (archive footage)
- The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies as Self - Interviewee (uncredited)
2001
- Bandits as Joseph Blake
2000
- The Kid as Russ Duritz
- Unbreakable as David Dunn
- The Whole Nine Yards as Jimmy 'Tulipán' Tudeski
1999
- The Sixth Sense as Malcolm Crowe
- Where Are They Now? as Self
- The Story of Us as Ben Jordan
- Breakfast of Champions as Dwayne Hoover
- The Early Show as Self - Guest
1998
- That '70s Show as Vic
- The Siege as Major-General William Devereaux
- Armageddon as Harry S. Stamper
- Jackie Chan: My Story ... (Thanks)
- Mercury Rising as Art Jeffries
- The Entertainment Biz as Self
- Armageddon: Target Earth as Self
1997
- The View as Self
- The Jackal as The Jackal
- The Fifth Element as Korben Dallas
- Taff as self
- Ally McBeal as Dr. Nickle (uncredited)
- Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie as Bruno the Kid (voice) (archive footage)
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
- Last Man Standing as John Smith
- The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of 'Twelve Monkeys' as Self
- Beavis and Butt-Head Do America as Muddy (voice)
- Bruno the Kid as Bruno the Kid (voice)
- E! True Hollywood Story as Self
1995
- Twelve Monkeys as James Cole
- Die Hard: With a Vengeance as John McClane
- Four Rooms as Leo (uncredited)
- A Night to Die For as Self
1994
- Friends as Paul Stevens
- Pulp Fiction as Butch Coolidge
- North as Narrator (voice)
- Color of Night as Capa
- Nobody's Fool as Carl Roebuck
- Inside the Actors Studio as Self
1993
- Late Show with David Letterman as Self
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as John McClane (uncredited)
- Striking Distance as Det. Tom Hardy
- Annie Leibovitz 1993 Phaidon Documentary as Self
1992
- Mad About You as Bruce Willis
- Death Becomes Her as Dr. Ernest Menville
- HBO First Look
- The Player as Bruce Willis
1991
- Mortal Thoughts as James Urbanski
- The Last Boy Scout as Joe Hallenbeck
- Hudson Hawk as Eddie 'Hudson Hawk' Hawkins
- Billy Bathgate as Bo Weinberg
1990
- Die Hard 2 as John McClane
- The Bonfire of the Vanities as Peter Fallow
- Look Who's Talking Too as Mikey (voice)
- Seriously... Phil Collins as Self
1989
- In Country as Emmett Smith
- Look Who's Talking as Mikey (voice)
- Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary as Self
- That's Adequate as Self
1987
- Blind Date as Walter Davis
- The Return of Bruno as Bruno Radolini
- Dolly as Self
- The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite as Self
1986
- Barbra Streisand: One Voice as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
1985
- The Twilight Zone as Peter Novins (segment "Shatterday")
- Moonlighting as David Addison
1984
- Miami Vice as Tony Amato
- Goldene Kamera as Self
1982
- The Verdict as Courtroom Observer (uncredited)
1981
- Prince of the City as Extra (uncredited)
1980
- The First Deadly Sin as Man Entering Diner as Delaney Leaves
- A Guru Comes as Extra (uncredited)
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
1949
- The Emmy Awards as Self
1944
- Golden Globe Awards as Self