by When Bruce Willis first read the script for The Sixth Sense, he was immediately captivated by the complex and fascinating character of Malcolm Crowe. As a child psychologist haunted by his past failures, Crowe was a departure from the typical action hero roles that Willis was known for at the time. And yet, Willis saw great potential in bringing the multilayered Crowe to life onscreen.
In interviews over the years, Willis has opened up about what drew him to play Malcolm Crowe and why he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to star in The Sixth Sense.
The Depth and Complexity of Malcolm Crowe
As Willis told Entertainment Weekly, he was “immediately drawn to” Crowe as a character due to his complexity. Crowe is struggling deeply with his own personal demons while also trying to help a young boy who can see dead people. This duality fascinated Willis.
“I thought it was a really interesting character,” Willis said. “He’s a very complex guy who is struggling with a lot of different things.”
In particular, Crowe is haunted by his failure to help Vincent Grey, a former patient who shot him before killing himself. This tragedy broke something in Crowe, affecting his ability to connect with patients. As the audience later finds out, Crowe himself is actually a ghost who is killed at the very start of the film, unaware of his own death.
This rich inner conflict and the non-linear reveal about Crowe’s true state was something Willis found deeply compelling. It allowed him to play a character who, on the surface, thinks he is still helping people but is actually a lost soul himself. The complex writing gave Willis a lot to sink his teeth into as an actor.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Visionary Script
Another major reason Willis couldn’t resist The Sixth Sense was due to M. Night Shyamalan’s phenomenal script. Even in his breakout film, Shyamalan had shown himself to be an original voice and masterful storyteller.
“M. Night Shyamalan is a very talented filmmaker,” Willis said. “He knows how to create a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.”
In particular, Willis praised how Shyamalan was able to keep the truth about Crowe hidden until the very last moments of the film.
“I was also intrigued by the idea of a ghost story that is told from the perspective of the ghosts themselves,” Willis said.
This innovative, unexpected twist is what helped cement The Sixth Sense as such a groundbreaking thriller. And Willis knew that with Shyamalan’s killer script and direction, they could create something that would shock audiences and keep them guessing.
The Opportunity to Showcase His Dramatic Talent
While known for being an action star and hero in blockbuster franchises like Die Hard, Bruce Willis has always been an actor with impressive range. And yet, he often wasn’t given the chance to flex his dramatic muscles onscreen and show what he was really capable of.
Playing such a complex, tortured character like Malcolm Crowe was the perfect opportunity for Willis to reveal his versatility. Crowe was worlds away from any role Willis had played before and demanded a lot from him as a performer.
“It was some of the best [writing] I’ve ever seen,” Willis said of Shyamalan’s script. “He was able to create a truly suspenseful and terrifying film that also had a lot of heart.”
Rather than just thrills, Crowe’s emotional journey gave Willis the chance to connect with audiences while also scaring them senseless. It was because Crowe was so human that the twist ending landed with such gut-punching power.
Years later, Willis’ unforgettable performance as Crowe is considered one of the finest acting achievements in any thriller film. It demonstrated Willis’ strong dramatic talents and that he could move people just as easily as he could entertain them.
The Chance to Star in an Instant Classic
Of course, as we now know, The Sixth Sense became an instant smash hit, both commercially and critically. It earned over $672 million at the worldwide box office and was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. For any actor, the opportunity to be part of a film with this level of acclaim doesn’t come around often.
But beyond just the success, Willis knew he had to be a part of The Sixth Sense because it was clear from the script that this was a movie that would stick with audiences for years. The chilling atmosphere, unpredictable twists and turns, and emotional character journeys made The Sixth Sense an instant classic in the making.
“It was some of the best [writing] I’ve ever seen,” Willis said. “He was able to create a truly suspenseful and terrifying film that also had a lot of heart.”
Two decades later, The Sixth Sense is still considered one of the greatest supernatural thrillers ever made. And Willis’ performance remains one of the key ingredients that made the film so impactful. His ability to balance Crowe’s ghostly torment with his desire to help Cole Sear created an unforgettable cinematic figure.
So for Bruce Willis, the opportunity to be part of The Sixth Sense legacy and introduce the world to Malcolm Crowe was simply too good to pass up. Though Crowe initially seemed different than Willis’ usual roles, the actor knew he was the perfect person to bring the character to life in all his flawed, chilling glory.
It was a risk that paid off tremendously, as The Sixth Sense cemented Willis as one of the most versatile leading men in Hollywood while also providing a template for suspense thrillers to follow. All these years later, the film – and Willis’ performance – have stood the test of time.
