| # | Fact |
|---|
| 1 | Good friends with Don Johnson, Julia Roberts and Sylvester Stallone. |
| 2 | Has twice played a hit man: The Jackal (1997) and The Whole Nine Yards (2000). The Whole Ten Yards (2004) really can not be counted because his character, Jimmy Tudeski was retired. |
| 3 | Has been in three movies where he meets a younger version of himself: Twelve Monkeys (1995), The Kid (2000) and Looper (2012). |
| 4 | Willis, a variant of the name William, is a surname, of Scottish and English origin meaning (Son of Willie). The name William comes ultimately from the given name Wilhelm (cf. Old German Wilhelm > German Wilhelm and Old Norse Vilhjálmr). That is a compound of two distinct elements : wil = "will or desire" and helm: Old English helm "helmet, protection"; > English helm "knight's large helmet". |
| 5 | The Scots-English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix of the Manche département in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of King Robert I of Scotland (Robert the Bruce) (1274-1329), it has been a Scottish surname since medieval times; it is now a common given name. |
| 6 | In 2015, he did a Broadway show of Stephen King's "Misery" with Laurie Metcalf. |
| 7 | His "Inside the Actors Studio" interview was taped on September 10, 2001. The episode was respectfully dedicated by Willis and the Actors Studio Drama School "to the heroes who fell September 11th - and to the heroes who fight on.". |
| 8 | Has played five characters more than once in the movies: Hartigan from the Sin City films, John McClane from the Die Hard films, Frank from the Red films, Church from the Expendables films, and Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski from the Whole Nine Yard films. |
| 9 | Willis has played many roles whose character names have the letter "J" in the beginning. Examples include Die Hard (1988) (John McClane), Mercury Rising (1998) (Art Jeffries), Hostage (2005) (Jeff Talley), Mortal Thoughts (1991) (James Urbanski), Twelve Monkeys (1995) (James Cole), The Whole Nine Yards (2000) (Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski), Sin City (2005) (John Hartigan) and the title role in The Jackal (1997). |
| 10 | Became a father for the fifth time at age 59 when his second wife Emma Heming gave birth to their daughter Evelyn Penn Willis on May 5, 2014. |
| 11 | Is mentioned in the song "Jizz in My Pants" by The Lonely Island. One of the song's composers, Jorma Taccone, shares his birthday with Willis. |
| 12 | As of 2014, has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Verdict (1982), Pulp Fiction (1994) and The Sixth Sense (1999). |
| 13 | Became a father for the fourth time at age 57 when his second wife Emma Heming gave birth to their daughter Mabel Ray Willis on April 1, 2012. |
| 14 | Became a father for the third time at age 38 when his [now ex] first wife Demi Moore gave birth to their daughter Tallulah Belle Willis on February 3, 1994. |
| 15 | Became a father for the second time at age 36 when his [now ex] first wife Demi Moore gave birth to their daughter Scout LaRue Willis on July 20, 1991. |
| 16 | Became a father for the first time at age 33 when his [now ex] first wife Demi Moore gave birth to their daughter Rumer Glenn Willis, aka Rumer Willis, on August 16, 1988. |
| 17 | Once made an album ("The Return of Bruno" (1987)) that sold a million copies in the United Kingdom. |
| 18 | He was awarded Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, the highest French culture award, in Paris, France [February 12, 2013]. |
| 19 | Has regularly been named on "Best Celebrity Tippers" lists over the years. This is largely due to his early "struggling" waiter/bartender days. |
| 20 | Credits Will Smith with helping him come to terms with his divorce from Demi Moore, and accepting Ashton Kutcher as her new husband. |
| 21 | Is mentioned in Nicki Minaj's song "Your Love". |
| 22 | Is left-handed and is displayed in most of his films. In The Sixth Sense (1999), he learned to write with his right hand so this would not be so easily noticeable that his character was not wearing his wedding ring. |
| 23 | Inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2011 for his contributions to Arts and Entertainment. |
| 24 | Lives in Los Angeles, Malibu, California and Hailey, Idaho. |
| 25 | Met Demi Moore at a screening of Emilio Estevez's film, Stakeout (1987). Although she was seeing Estevez at the time, they were married four months later. |
| 26 | Filmed his role in the mystery thriller Mortal Thoughts (1991) in ten days. |
| 27 | Admitted to Playboy magazine in 1996 that he was once arrested at age 19 for possessing two joints. |
| 28 | Was friends with John Goodman, during their New York City struggling actor days. |
| 29 | Has appeared with Samuel L. Jackson in four films: Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) and Unbreakable (2000), even though they only shared scenes together in the last two. |
| 30 | Was in consideration for the role of Lester Burnham in American Beauty (1999) but Kevin Spacey, who went on to win a Best Actor Oscar for his performance, was cast instead. |
| 31 | He visited Michael Jackson on the set of filming the "Smooth Criminal" segment for Moonwalker (1988). Also visiting the set were Gregory Peck and Robert De Niro. |
| 32 | Among the guests at his wedding to Emma Heming were his three daughters, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Madonna. |
| 33 | (March 21, 2009) Bruce married his girlfriend of a year, Emma Heming, at his home in Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos. |
| 34 | Thanked by the rock band Blink 182 in the liner notes of their album "Enema of the State" (1999). |
| 35 | Was considered for the role of Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), which went to Michael Biehn. |
| 36 | Became the first actor to guest star on Friends (1994) and win an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Guest Actor category for their performance. |
| 37 | Maxim magazine had named his sex scenes in Color of Night (1994) as the best sex scenes ever in film history. |
| 38 | Endorsed his friend and former co-star Fred Dalton Thompson in his failed bid to win the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election. |
| 39 | Has named his acting idols as Robert De Niro, Gary Cooper, Steve McQueen and John Wayne. |
| 40 | Co-founder of "Planet Hollywood" together with Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger (1991). |
| 41 | Is a huge supporter of NFL team New York Jets. |
| 42 | He was the only celebrity that attended Julia Roberts' wedding to Daniel Moder. Their friendship is referred to in Ocean's Twelve (2004), when he mistakes Tess Ocean for Julia Roberts, and asks her about 'Danny'. |
| 43 | During the Lebanon crisis, Willis signed his name on an ad in the Los Angeles Times in support of Israel, along with Nicole Kidman and numerous other Hollywood celebrities. |
| 44 | Has the distinction of playing two psychologists who have suffered serious work-related emotional trauma: Dr. Bill Capa in Color of Night (1994) and Dr. Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense (1999). Ironically, Color of Night (1994) was a box-office bomb and was widely ridiculed by critics (this movie did much better business in home video market, though), while The Sixth Sense (1999) became a box-office smash and received several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. |
| 45 | Has appeared in 14 movies with numbers in the title: The First Deadly Sin (1980), Twelve Monkeys (1995), Four Rooms (1995), The Fifth Element (1997), The Sixth Sense (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), 16 Blocks (2006), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), Die Hard 2 (1990), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Catch .44 (2011), The Expendables 2 (2012) and RED 2 (2013). |
| 46 | Often supports the careers of other actors he has met on set, and asks they be given supporting roles on later films, most famously Michael Clarke Duncan, whom he worked with on The Whole Nine Yards (2000), asked for him on Armageddon (1998) and suggested him to the producers of The Green Mile (1999). Other actors include Billy Bob Thornton (Armageddon (1998), Bandits (2003)), Johnny Messner (Tears of the Sun (2003), The Whole Ten Yards (2004)), Nick Chinlund (Tears of the Sun (2003), The Kid (2000)) and Cole Hauser (Hart's War (2002), Tears of the Sun (2003)). Met and befriended Matthew Perry on the set of The Whole Nine Yards (2000) and then appeared on Friends (1994) at Perry's request. |
| 47 | Has three younger siblings: Florence Willis, David Willis and Robert Willis. |
| 48 | Stepfather of his three daughters with Demi Moore is Ashton Kutcher. |
| 49 | He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 16, 2006. The ceremony was attended by his friends Don Johnson, Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Costner. |
| 50 | In November 2000, he urged his fans to vote for Republican candidate George W. Bush in the presidential election. He told an interviewer, "If you guys vote for Al Gore, you're out of your minds ... Gore's a knucklehead ... just the lying and mendacity of the last eight years of the regime that Al Gore was a part and parcel of ... I mean, there is only so much lying the American people will take before they go, 'Uh, this doesn't seem like a good idea.' You have to look at what he does and what he stands for.". |
| 51 | He apologized to Colombia after blaming the nation for America's drug problems. The star insisted the United States is as much to blame for the prolific trade and confessed he didn't mean to single out any one country as the supplier. He told the New York Daily News, "I said Colombia because it was the first country to come to mind." The actor was dubbed "ignorant" and "ungrateful" by the Colombian president for his comments in March 2006, and advised not to base his arguments on "Hollywood clichés". |
| 52 | Turned down the role of Sam Wheat in Ghost (1990) because he did not think the plot would work and that playing a ghost would be detrimental to his career. Ironically, he played a ghost in The Sixth Sense (1999), which was a critical success and is widely regarded as one of his best performances. |
| 53 | Married Demi Moore at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. |
| 54 | Little Richard presided over his wedding to Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy was one of the bridesmaids. |
| 55 | He and Linda Fiorentino were employed as bartenders in the early 1980s at the Kamikaze Club in New York City. |
| 56 | His performance as John McClane in the "Die Hard" trilogy is ranked #46 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. |
| 57 | (July 23, 2002) Appointed by President George W. Bush as national spokesman for Children in Foster Care. |
| 58 | In November 2005, he offered $1 million of his own money to anyone who turns in al-Qaeda terror leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman Al-Zawahiri or 'Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi', the alleged brains behind the 9/11 attacks. Willis announced his reward on the American television show Rita Cosby Live & Direct (2005), where he also criticized what he claimed to be "biased" media coverage of the Iraq war. |
| 59 | Honored in Paris for his contribution to the film industry, by the French government. The actor was awarded Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony in the capital, where he was presented with his honor by French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres. de Vabres said, "This is France's way of paying tribute to an actor who epitomizes the strength of American cinema, the power of the emotions that he invites us to share on the world's screens and the sturdy personalities of his legendary characters." Willis replied in French that he was "very touched" to receive his medal, adding, "Thank you France and Culture Minister for this great, great honor." (April 13, 2005). |
| 60 | Announced his intention to make a film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy. This will be based on the exploits of the heavily decorated members of "Deuce Four", the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul. Willis attended Deuce Four's homecoming ball this month in Seattle, Washington, where the soldiers are on leave, along with Stephen J. Eads, the producer of Armageddon (1998) and The Sixth Sense (1999). The actor said that he was in talks about a film of "these guys who do what they are asked to for very little money to defend and fight for what they consider to be freedom". Willis is likely to take on the role of the unit's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Erik Kurilla. [November 2005] |
| 61 | Has worked closely with two promising child stars: Miko Hughes in Mercury Rising (1998) and 'Haley Joel Osment' in The Sixth Sense (1999). The boys had major roles in the films opposite him. |
| 62 | Served as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in 1992. In 2000, he was unable to narrate a biographical film of previous presidents to be shown at the RNC due to scheduling conflicts. |
| 63 | Along with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Charlton Heston, Willis was one of very few Hollywood celebrities to publicly support the Iraq war. While visiting the troops in 2003, he offered $1 million of his own money for the man who would capture Saddam Hussein. When Hussein was captured, it turned out that military rules prevent troops from collecting such a reward. |
| 64 | Ten directors cast him at least twice in their films: Blake Edwards, Amy Heckerling, Rob Reiner, Robert Benton, John McTiernan, Alan Rudolph, 'M. Night Shyamalan', Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Barry Levinson. |
| 65 | Was a guest at Demi Moore's and Ashton Kutcher's wedding. |
| 66 | Has been special ambassador of his birth town Idar-Oberstein since his 50th birthday. |
| 67 | Was chosen to play John McClane in Die Hard (1988) because the producers felt he brought warmth and humor to an otherwise cold and humorless character. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone had turned down the role. |
| 68 | (June 2, 2004) After dating Brooke Burns for ten months and finally being engaged to her, they decided to separate because of the difficulties with maintaining a long-distance relationship. |
| 69 | France awarded him Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in April 2005. "France pays homage to an actor who represents the force of American cinema and the power of emotions that he invites us to share on screens throughout the world", Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said. "I'm nervous. Bonjour Paris", he replied. |
| 70 | Plays the harmonica. |
| 71 | Attended the Stella Adler Conservatory / Theatre program in New York City for three years. |
| 72 | (October 20, 2004) Sued Revolution Studios for unspecified damages related to a blow to his forehead that he received during "ultrahazardous activity" involved in the filming of Tears of the Sun (2003). He claims that it has caused him extreme mental, physical and emotional pain and suffering. |
| 73 | Recommended Michael Clarke Duncan to play the role of John Coffey in The Green Mile (1999). |
| 74 | Attended and graduated from Penns Grove High School in Penns Grove, New Jersey. His class voted him "Most School Spirit" (1973). |
| 75 | He ad-libbed many of John McClane's one-liners in the "Die Hard" films. |
| 76 | Is the hero of singer Nick Lachey. Lachey's ex-wife, Jessica Simpson, unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Kate McClane, John McClane's daughter in Live Free or Die Hard (2007). |
| 77 | Personally recommended Bonnie Bedelia for the role of his estranged wife in Die Hard (1988). |
| 78 | The scar on his right shoulder is from surgery due to complications from a broken arm when he was age 17. |
| 79 | Lives in Hailey, Idaho, where he owns the Mint bar and the Liberty Theater. He also owns the old Hailey Drug Store, but the building has been vacant and unused since the early 1990s. |
| 80 | Ranked #3 in Star TV's Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s (2003). |
| 81 | He filled in as a last-minute host for David Letterman on February 26, 2003, a show he was supposed to be the guest for. This was Letterman's first "sick day" in 20 years (other than his time off for heart surgery). |
| 82 | Worked in a chemical factory before going to college. |
| 83 | Was president of a drama club at school. |
| 84 | Was named Man of the Year by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. [February 2002] |
| 85 | His ineptness as a waiter forced him to become a bartender. |
| 86 | Set a new benchmark for actors' salaries when he was paid $5 million for Die Hard (1988) in 1988. Eight years later, his wife, Demi Moore, set a benchmark of $12 million with Striptease (1996). |
| 87 | Attended Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. |
| 88 | Was originally cast as Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped out. |
| 89 | His younger brother Robert Willis died of pancreatic cancer at age 42 (2001). |
| 90 | Acting helped him to overcome a debilitating childhood stutter. In an interview with GQ magazine [March 2013], Willis revealed: "I had a terrible stutter. But then I did some theater in high school and when I memorized words, I didn't stutter, which was just miraculous. That was the beginning of the gradual dispelling of my stutter. I thought I was handicapped. I couldn't talk at all. I still stutter around some people now.". |
| 91 | Memorial Day weekend, 1987: Was arrested after reportedly disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer who was called to quiet a raucous party at his home. The charges were dropped after Willis agreed to apologize to his neighbors. |
| 92 | Wears his watch upside down with the face on the inside of his hand. This is also visible in many movies he has done (Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Mercury Rising (1998), etc.) where they have not requested him to flip this over. |
| 93 | Has stated, in 1997, 2001 and 2013, that he will no longer be doing violent action or "save-the-world" movies. |
| 94 | Was the first actor to ever "act" in a video game (Apocalypse (1998)). No one before had ever done voice work along with having their likeness and movements digitally added to the game, as well as receiving prominent billing on the game's cover. |
| 95 | Has been very vocal in his support of almost every major Republican candidate in recent history except Bob Dole. He felt that presidential candidate Dole was out of line in his attacks on Demi Moore and her role in the movie Striptease (1996). |
| 96 | As a young man, his personality was very much like that of the character that he portrayed on Moonlighting (1985). He was always getting into trouble because of this and was bodily ejected from parties by the hosts for being obnoxious. |
| 97 | Has appeared on Late Show with David Letterman (1993) to advertise for Demi Moore's Striptease (1996) by doing his own undressing act (1996). |
| 98 | He was born on a military base in Germany. His mother, Marlene, was German, and was born in Kassel, Germany. His father, David Willis, was American-born, and had English, and smaller amounts of Dutch, French, Irish and Welsh ancestry. |
| 99 | Ranked #22 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] |
| 100 | (June 24, 1998) He and Demi Moore announce they are ending their marriage of 11 years. No reasons given. |
| 101 | His recording of "Respect Yourself" reached #5 in January 1987. |
| 102 | Was high school student council president. |
ncG1vNJzZmimlanEsL7Toaeoq6RjvLOzjpuprpuVYsSquMuiqmamlal6uLvRrZ9o