by It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the role of John McClane in the Die Hard franchise. Bruce Willis so perfectly embodied the wisecracking, tougher than leather, take no prisoners New York cop that it’s impossible to picture another actor filling those shoes. But what many fans don’t know is that Bruce Willis actually came incredibly close to turning down the role that would launch his career into hyperdrive and forever cement his place in cinematic history.
In a shocking recent interview, Bruce candidly admitted that when he first received the script for Die Hard, he was strongly leaning towards passing on the project. As hard as it is to believe, Bruce revealed he simply didn’t see himself as an action star and was wary of being typecast in high octane roles. This hesitance nearly cost us one of the most legendary action movie performances of all time!
Let’s back up a bit to understand Bruce’s mindset. In 1987, Bruce was best known for his comedic role as David Addison on the hit TV show Moonlighting. The show’s popularity had given him a comfortable career playing a wisecracking character, but he had yet to establish himself as a bankable movie star. When the script for Die Hard landed on his desk, he was intrigued by the story and character of John McClane, but didn’t know if he was ready to commit to the demands of carrying an big budget action film.
In Bruce’s own words: “I was nervous about stepping into the shoes of an action hero. I wondered if I could pull it off convincingly. I also was wary of being typecast going forward if the movie was successful. I struggled with the decision for a while, and was close to passing on the project.”
It was a bold risk that could have defined Bruce’s career if it failed, especially considering the film needed a star powerful enough to get it green lit. But thankfully, Bruce finally decided the opportunity was too good to pass up. We have director John McTiernan to thank for convincing Bruce to take a leap of faith, assuring him he had the chops to pull off the intense physical demands and create an iconic character.
Still, Bruce remained nervous when cameras starting rolling. He credits his castmates, especially Alan Rickman as the villainous Hans Gruber, for pushing him to deliver a legendary performance. Their electrifying dynamic in scenes like Hans dangling John’s wife out the window at Nakatomi Plaza showed Bruce could hold his own in the big leagues of action cinema.
Of course we all know how the story ends – Die Hard exploded into theaters in 1988 and instantly became a critical and commercial smash hit. Over 30 years later, it remains one of the most beloved, endlessly rewatchable action films of all time. And Bruce’s portrayal of John McClane is so revered it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, cementing its status as an important cultural touchstone.
So in retrospect, it’s wild to consider how close we came to seeing another actor tackle the role. Imagine someone like Richard Dean Anderson or Mel Gibson playing McClane! It just wouldn’t have captured that one-of-a-kind Willis magic.
Bruce emerged from Die Hard an bonafide action megastar, but thankfully avoided being typecast. He went on to have an amazingly diverse career, starring in everything from Pulp Fiction, to The Sixth Sense, to Moonrise Kingdom. But John McClane remains his most iconic role, one he returned to 4 more times over the decades.
It just goes to show that taking risks, even when success isn’t guaranteed, can lead to creating characters that will live on long after we’re gone. Bruce almost played it safe and talked himself out of a career-defining opportunity. But he rolled the dice on Die Hard and it secured his place in the Hollywood pantheon. The lesson? Sometimes you just gotta cowboy up and jump off the Nakatomi Plaza. Yippee Ki-Yay, Bruce!
