History of Bruce Willis in Timeline

Bruce Willis is a retired American actor renowned for his role as John McClane in the Die Hard franchise, establishing him as an action hero. He initially gained prominence with the TV series Moonlighting (1985-1989) and has starred in over one hundred films. His career spanned several decades, making him a significant figure in the entertainment industry.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

November 21, 1987: Marriage to Demi Moore

On November 21, 1987, Bruce Willis married Demi Moore at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

1988: Campaigning for Michael Dukakis

In 1988, Bruce Willis and then-wife Demi Moore campaigned for Democratic Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis's presidential campaign.

1992: Supporting George H. W. Bush

In the 1992 presidential election, Bruce Willis supported President George H. W. Bush for reelection and was an outspoken critic of Bill Clinton.

1996: Declining to Endorse Bob Dole

In 1996, Bruce Willis declined to endorse Bill Clinton's Republican opponent Bob Dole because Dole criticized Demi Moore for her role in the film Striptease.

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June 24, 1998: Separation from Demi Moore

On June 24, 1998, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore announced their separation.

July 1998: Religious Views

In a July 1998 interview with George magazine, Bruce Willis shared his views on organized religion, stating that they are dying forms and relics of modern mythology.

October 18, 2000: Divorce Finalized

On October 18, 2000, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's divorce was finalized.

2000: Cheyenne Enterprises Started

In 2000, Bruce Willis and Arnold Rifkin started a motion picture production company called Cheyenne Enterprises.

2000: Republican National Convention Speaker

In 2000, Bruce Willis was an invited speaker at the Republican National Convention and supported George W. Bush that year.

2002: Donation of Girl Scout Cookies to Troops

In 2002, Bruce Willis purchased 12,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, suggested by his daughter Tallulah, and donated them to sailors aboard USS John F. Kennedy and other troops stationed throughout the Middle East.

2003: USO Tour in Iraq

In 2003, Bruce Willis visited Iraq as part of a USO tour, performing for the troops with his band, The Accelerators.

February 2006: Remarks on the Bush Administration

In February 2006, Bruce Willis expressed his frustration with the Bush administration's policies and his preference for smaller government and fiscal responsibility.

August 17, 2006: Support for Israel

On August 17, 2006, Bruce Willis was named in a Los Angeles Times advertisement that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

2006: Advocating for Intervention in Colombia

In 2006, Bruce Willis stated that the United States should intervene more extensively in Colombia to end drug trafficking from that nation.

June 2007: Clarification on Terrorist Bounty

In June 2007, Bruce Willis clarified in Vanity Fair that his statement offering US$1 million for the capture of terrorist leaders was hypothetical and not meant to be taken literally.

June 2007: Republican-Aligned Beliefs

In June 2007, Bruce Willis stated that he maintained some beliefs aligned with Republican ideas.

2007: Departure from Cheyenne Enterprises

In 2007, Bruce Willis left Cheyenne Enterprises, his motion picture production company, to be run solely by Arnold Rifkin after the release of Live Free or Die Hard.

2008: No Endorsements in Presidential Campaign

In 2008, Bruce Willis did not make any contributions or public endorsements in the presidential campaign.

March 21, 2009: Marriage to Emma Heming

On March 21, 2009, Bruce Willis married Emma Heming in Turks and Caicos.

2009: Face of Sobieski Vodka

In 2009, Bruce Willis became the international face of Belvedere SA's Sobieski Vodka in exchange for 3.3% ownership in the company.

2012: Negative Opinion of Mitt Romney

In the 2012 presidential election, Bruce Willis said that he had a negative opinion of Mitt Romney.

October 12, 2013: Hosting Saturday Night Live

On October 12, 2013, Bruce Willis hosted Saturday Night Live with Katy Perry as the musical guest.

2018: Brand Ambassador of Hell Energy Drink

In 2018, Bruce Willis became the brand ambassador of the Hungarian brand Hell Energy Drink.

2021: Worst Bruce Willis Performance in a 2021 Movie

In 2021, The Golden Raspberry Awards created a dedicated category, Worst Bruce Willis Performance in a 2021 Movie, for Willis's roles in eight films released that year, acknowledging the decline in his performance in low-budget films.

2021: Difficulties on set of Out of Death

In 2021, during the production of Out of Death, Bruce Willis had difficulties on set including appearing confused, needing to be fed lines through an earpiece, and having his role significantly reduced due to concerns about his cognitive state.