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Bruce Willis turned 68 on Sunday, March 19, 2023. The popular action star retired last year in March after being diagnosed with the brain disorder aphasia and has kept a low-key profile ever since. However, on his birthday, he treated his fans to a rare appearance where he was seen celebrating the day with his family, as per a video posted by his former wife, Demi Moore.
Bruce Willis, a coveted name in Hollywood, has earned a Golden Globe Award, two People's Choice Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He has appeared in over 100 films and was a part of several noted movies. Around 2020, Bruce Willis started doing low-budget independent thrillers and sci-fi films, most of which were financed by Emmett/Furla Oasis. In most ventures, he had an average runtime of 15 minutes.
Before stepping away due to aphasia, his last such movie to be released was A Day to Die, which premiered on March 4, 2022. More than 10 films await release after his family announced his retirement on March 30, 2022, but before they come out, here are five roles by Bruce Willis that established his career as an action hero.
Celebrating Bruce Willis through Die Hard series, Sin City, and other films
1) John McClane in Die Hard movie franchise
Willis led all five Die Hard movies as New York City/Los Angeles police detective John McClane, driving the franchise to earn a stunning $1.4 billion (combined worldwide).
The star owned the character of McClane and charmed the audience with his taut action scenes, strong performances, and chiseled body. His sarcastic one-liners, including the popular catchphrase, "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf*cker," made McClane particularly enticing. Moreover, a BBC report termed Willis as "an excellent casting choice as a sardonic action hero."
The franchise's widespread impact was also seen on the noted show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where protagonist Jake Peralta said:
“Die Hard is the best cop movie of all time. One cop heroically saving the day while everyone else stands around and watches. It's the story of my life.”
The films were released in 1988, 1990, 1995, 2007, and 2013, respectively.
2) Aging cop John Hartigan in Sin City
Boasting a solid 8.0 rating on IMDb, Sin City was based on Frank Miller's graphic novel that carried the same name. Directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez, the neo-noir crime anthology emerged as a blockbuster and critics’ favorite.
Bruce Willis played Detective John Hartigan, an aging police officer, in the segments titled That Yellow B*stard (Part I) and That Yellow B*stard (Part II). Hartigan, protected by powerful forces, attempts to do something good in a corrupt city. He took down the senator's son Ethan Roark Jr. only to lose his life, but not before making one last attempt to save Ethan's final victim, Nancy.
While the film has a flavor of its own, Willis captured every frame of the movie with his brilliant acting and action, earning accolades on the way.
3) Korben Dallas in The Fifth Element
In The Fifth Element, Willis plays Korben Dallas, a cab driver and former major of special forces. When he meets the human form of a mysterious fifth element, Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), Dallas must carry out an interplanetary heist while fighting shy evil forces.
Released in 1997, the English-language French sci-fi actioner was the costliest European film ever made. Despite sharing screen space with stars like Gary Oldman, Jovovich, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker, Willis made a mark with his exceptional execution. Fans highly appreciated and loved Bruce Willis' Dallas.
4) Old Joe in Looper
Another sci-fi action film, Looper was directed by Rian Johnson of Knives Out fame. In the film, Willis proficiently played Old Joe, the future self of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Kansas City crime syndicate assassin, Joe. Touted as one of the best time-traveling movies, Looper was set in 2044 and involved a mind-boggling storyline.
Fans loved the chemistry between Bruce Willis and Gordon-Levitt, helping the movie earn $176 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million.
5) Frank Moses in RED
RED was Bruce Willis’ last release in 2010 and featured him as a former Black-Ops agent. The action comedy had him teaming up with his old group to detain an assassin who had taken a vow to kill him.
The Robert Schwentke-directorial, which received a Golden Globe nod under the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, is considered Willis' last big actioner. It has a very The Expendables whiff and remains his swansong great lead casting.
Honorable mention: Butch Coolidge in Pulp Fiction
In Pulp Fiction, Willis portrayed Butch Coolidge, an aging boxer who has double-crossed Marsellus and is running from him. Reports state that when he did the-then newcomer Quentin Tarantino’s second directorial, Willis was already a star. However, since most of his recent films were flops, he took a risk, which paid off. Pulp Fiction gave him renewed popularity and respect, giving him eternal favoritism.
