What role did Bruce Willis play in Friends? Actor once revealed he was on the show because of a bet

Friends co-star Matthew Perry sent his love to his long-time pal, Bruce Willis', after his family revealed how the actor is suffering from aphasia that has affected his cognitive abilities, forcing him to quit acting.

Bruce Willis became a household name during his time in the industry as John McClane in Die Hard. Following up on it, the veteran actor did many more memorable roles, including his appearance in Pulp Fiction and The Sixth Sense. He featured in the popular sitcom Friends as a guest appearance, which was widely regarded as the best guest performance in the history of the show.

However, there is a peculiar reason for how the actor ended up in the sitcom. Read on to find out.

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Bruce Willis reveals the real reason behind his Friends appearance

Willis appeared in only three episodes of Friends, playing Elizabeth's father, Paul Stevens. At the time, Elizabeth was dating Ross, and Paul Stevens terrorized the paleontologist to a hilarious extent.

Willis even won an Emmy for 'Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series' in 2000. He had, reportedly, donated his entire earnings from the TV show to charity.

Bruce Willis made an appearance on the show owing to a bet he lost to Matthew Perry, who was also his co-star in The Whole Nine Yards. During the making of the film, Perry bet Willis that the movie would reach number one at the box office when it was released, while Bruce bet that it wouldn't. Following this, he promised to make an appearance on Friends if he lost.

Eventually, Bruce lost the bet and made it to the sitcom. Perry and Willis have remained in good touch following their time together. The former, in a recent tweet, described how Willis was the coolest man he has met.

Willis' retirement comes as a major shock. Willis' family, including his children, ex-wife, and wife came out with a joint statement regarding his health. It said:

"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."

It further continued:

"As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

This is a tough time for the family, but hopefully, the veteran actor will get through this challenging time. His absence from the film and TV industry is a huge loss to the art form. Despite his absence from the screens, he will always be remembered for the roles he played and the many impactful stories he helped create.