Bruce Willis was one of the biggest US box-office stars of the 1980s and 90s. He found fame in several action movies, most notably the Die Hard franchise, in his early career before transitioning to more serious dramatic roles in the 2000s. With a celebrity marriage and even a moderately successful recording career as a singer under his belt, Bruce has certainly led the Hollywood lifestyle to the full.
One of Hollywood’s all-time top earners
Bruce has an estimated net worth of $250 million. Almost half of that was achieved through negotiating a lucrative cut of the gross revenue generated by 1999 blockbuster The Sixth Sense. He also earned more than $50 million in total from the four Die Hard movies.
In the 1980s, a leading wine company paid him $7 million to promote their brand. However, he elected to sever the relationship when he quit drinking alcohol in 1988.
Success at the baccarat table
Despite his high profile, Bruce eschewed the Las Vegas party lifestyle of contemporaries like Charlie Sheen, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. However, he still enjoyed casino games, and in particular baccarat. The game has surged in popularity among online casino players in the US over recent years and you can learn more at this link about how to play baccarat yourself.
Bruce, however, preferred to play at the high stakes tables in Atlantic City. The rumor is that he one walked away with $500,000 in winnings.
A Hollywood romance for the ages
When Bruce married fellow A-lister Demi Moore in 1987, they were one of the biggest power couples in Hollywood. Their marriage produced three daughters, including Rumer, who is now a successful Hollywood star in her own right. The Willis / Moore marriage ended in divorce in 2000. However, the pair have remained on good terms, and Bruce was even a guest at his ex-wife’s wedding to second husband Ashton Kutcher.
In 2009, at the age of 53, Bruce found love for a second time and married 30 year old model Emma Heming. The pair have two daughters together, born in 2012 and 2014.
Bruce Willis the recording artist
At the height of his career, Bruce could do no wrong. In 1987, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a recording artist and released his first album, The Return of Bruno. It achieved a high of 14th on the US Billboard 200, and peaked at number two on the UK album chart. It featured the hit single Respect Yourself, which featured guest vocals by the legendary Pointer Sisters.
Subsequent albums in 1989 and 2001 were less successful, and are ones for the completists and the die-hard Bruce Willis fans.
Decline, retirement and health problems
By the 2020s, Bruce was accepting minor roles in low budget and low quality titles that sold primarily on the basis of his past glory. His stilted performances and difficulty remembering lines rapidly reduced the former A-lister to a laughing stock. The Razzies even announced a special category of “worst Bruce Willis performance” in 2021.
However, the laughter came to an abrupt end in 2022, when Bruce’s family announced his immediate retirement due to a cognitive disorder. The Razzies immediately retracted their Bruce Willis category now that it was clear his performances had been affected by a medical condition.
VIDEO: Bruce Willis celebrates 68th birthday with family after dementia diagnosis
Over the past year, Bruce’s condition has deteriorated. However, a heart-warming video shared by Demi Moore last month showed the star in good spirits sharing his 68th birthday with his blended family. His millions of fans around the world wish him many more.
