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Starting his career with the 1954 TV seriesMoonlighting, Bruce Willis continued with dramatic and comedic roles during the initial years of his career in Hollywood. So when he was offered the lead role in John McTiernan’s action thrillerDie Hard, it came as a surprise to many. The filmmaker was initially looking for a well-built actor like Frank Sinatra for the movie. However, he politely turned down the offer. The other actors on the list included other popular action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Johnson, Harrison Ford, and many others.
After all top action stars at the time refused to star in the movie, Willis was suggested to portray the lead character in the movie. However, one of the actors who earlier rejected the offer publicly rossed theDie Hardstar, claiming that he would never be an action star.
Read More:“That kills me. It’s so sad”: Sylvester Stallone Was Heartbroken About Bruce Willis’ Health Condition After Mercilessly Replacing ‘Old Pal’ in $804M Franchise After Petty Feud
Arnold Schwarzenegger Poked Fun at Bruce Willis
AfterFrank Sinatra, John McTiernan proposed the movie to one of the biggest action stars at the time,Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, after constantly starring in action movies, he wanted to try something new and declined the offer for his 1988 filmTwins.
After going through several actors,Die Hardeventually came toBruce Willis. Although thePredatorstar declined the offer, he later shared some not-so-pleasant words for the retired actor. Author Nick de Semlyen revealed in his bookThe Last ActionHeroes that after the film’s premiere,
Schwarzenegger toldThe Expendables star that he would never be an action star.“Know why you’ll never be an action star?”thePredatorstar asked Willis in a restaurant. Sitting on the other side of the restaurant, Willis asked him why he thinks so, to which Schwarzenegger replied,“Toothpick arms,” as he pointed to his biceps.
Contrary to his expectations, the 1988 action thriller was not only a turning point for Willis’ career but also for action movies. His approach toward his character felt more vulnerable and human to the audience instead of the muscled-up action heroes, who seemed invincible to anyone.
Read More:“That was probably the most intense two weeks of my life”: Karl Urban & Bruce Willis’ Fight Became So Graphically Brutal That Director Had to Scrap It from Movie
Arnold Schwarzenegger And Bruce Willis Became Very Good Friends
While Arnold Schwarzenegger said that Bruce Willis would never become an action star, he has also admitted that he is one of the great actors in Hollywood. Over the years, the two have become good friends and even starred inThe Expendablesfranchise together.
Talking about his friend and co-star, Schwarzenegger said during an interview that theUnbreakablestar has always been one of the biggest stars in Hollywood and will always be remembered as a“great actor.”The 68-year-old actor announced his retirement in March 2022 after he was diagnosed with aphasia.
TheCommandoactor has said that he understands Willis’“circumstances, health-wise.”However, he also said that the action heroes never retire.“Action heroes, they reload,”Schwarzenegger said as he called theDie Hardstar a fantastic actor.
Die Hardfranchise is available on Hulu.
Read More:“It’s one of the crappiest movies ever made”: Bruce Willis’ Biggest Regret is this Tom Hanks $15M Movie Which was Humiliated at the Box Office
Source:The Last Action Heroes
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
