BRUCE WILLIS
Date of Birth: March 19, 1955
DuPont's loss was Hollywood's gain when Bruce Willis left behind life at the chemical factory for a life as a bartender and struggling actor in New York. A few small theater roles ensued as well as a gig as a Levi's jeans model before a little show called Moonlighting called looking for someone to star opposite Cybill Shepherd.
Born in West Germany and raised in New Jersey, Willis was the natural foil for Shepherd on the hit TV Series, but he soon tired of the TV grind and wanted out of his long-term contract playing the cocky David Addison. "I'm sure there are people who can't understand how a job that gives you fame and wealth and all the other things that come along with that, can become a drudge or a choking, strangling experience. But I think everyone can relate to feeling trapped: Trapped in a factory job for five bucks an hour or trapped in a high visibility TV job, trapped is trapped."
Willis was finally able to extract himself from the show just as his career zoomed into the stratosphere as audiences ate up his performance as the New York cop named McClane who has to take on the baddies all by himself in Die Hard. Later, Willis gravitated into non-tough guy lead roles but said, "It was a little confusing to do a whole film without a gun in my hand." He also broadened his career by taking on smaller character roles in such films as Pulp Fiction and Nobody's Fool that showcase his acting ability.
Never one to talk much about what he does for a living, he says, "I like what Thelonius Monk said: 'Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.' That's basically how I feel, talking about acting."
Nonetheless, the actor has some big titles under his belt. He can most recently be seen alongside Sigourney Weaver and Henry Cavill in the thriller The Cold Light of Day (2012) and in the role of Captain Sharp in Wes Anderson's latest film Moonlight Kingdom (2012). Willis also has several big sequels lined up: G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2012), The Expendables 2 (2012) and A Good Day to Die Hard (2013).
He married actress Demi Moore in 1987, but the marriage ended in divorce in 2000. They share custody of their three daughters. He married second wife, top fashion model Emma Heming, on March 21, 2009. On April 1 2012, the couple had their first child together (the fourth child for Willis), a baby girl named Mabel Ray Willis.
Filmography:
A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
Looper(2012)
The Expendables 2(2012)
G.I. Joe: Retaliation(2012)
Moonrise Kingdom(2012)
The Cold Light of Day(2012)
Fire with Fire (2012)
Lay the Favorite(2012)
Catch .44(2011)
Setup(2011)
The Last Full Measure (2011)
Kane & Lynch(2011)
Red(2010)
The Expendables(2010)
Cop Out(2010)
Surrogates(2009)
Assassination of a High School President(2009)
What Just Happened(2008)
Nancy Drew (2007) (uncredited)
Live Free or Die Hard(2007)
Perfect Stranger(2007)
Grindhouse(2007)
The Astronaut Farmer(2007)
Fast Food Nation(2006)
Alpha Dog(2007)
16 Blocks(2006)
Over the Hedge (2006) (voice)
Lucky Number Slevin(2006)
Sin City(2005)
Hostage(2005)
Ocean's Twelve(2004)
The Whole Ten Yards(2004)
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle(2003)
Rugrats Go Wild (voice) (2003)
Tears of the Sun(2003)
Hart's War(2002)
Bandits (2001)
Unbreakable (2000)
Disney's The Kid (2000)
The Whole Nine Yards(2000)
The Story of Us(1999)
Breakfast of Champions(1999)
The Sixth Sense(1999)
The Siege(1998)
Armageddon(1998)
Mercury Rising(1998)
The Jackal (1997)
The Fifth Element(1997)
Last Man Standing(1996)
12 Monkeys(1995)
Four Rooms (1995)
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Color of Night (1994)
Nobody's Fool (1994)
North (1994) (narrator)
Pulp Fiction(1994)
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)
Striking Distance (1993)
Death Becomes Her (1992)
The Player(1992)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Mortal Thoughts (1991)
Billy Bathgate (1991)
The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
Die Hard 2 (1990)
Look Who's Talking Too (1990) (voice)
In Country (1989)
Look Who's Talking (1989) (voice)
That's Adequate (1989)
Die Hard(1988)
Sunset (1988)
Blind Date (1987)