<p><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/actors/”>Actor</a> Bruce Willis is best known for starring in the <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/bruce-willis-grew-sick-action-films-thanks-die-hard-franchise.html/”>Die Hard</a> </em>movie franchise. He played the character John McClane from 1988 until 2013. How much was Willis paid for <em>Die Hard?</em> Here’s what we know.</p>
<h2>Bruce Willis’ movie and TV career</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-custom-image-1200″><img decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” width=”3000″ height=”1970″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=1200″ alt=”Bruce Willis poses in front of a ‘Die Hard’ movie poster. ” class=”wp-image-3437912″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg 3000w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=150&h=99 150w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=640&h=420 640w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=768&h=504 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=1024&h=672 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=1536&h=1009 1536w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=2048&h=1345 2048w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=1200&h=788 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/How-much-was-Bruce-Willis-paid-for-Die-Hard.jpg?w=91&h=60 91w” sizes=”(max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”> Bruce Willis | Sean Gallup/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of Willis’ early acting roles was in a 1984 episode of <em>Miami Vice</em> titled “No Exit.” He played the character Tony Amato. The following year, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/this-day-in-tv-history-moonlighting-premiered-1985-starring-bruce-willis-cybill-shepherd.html/”>Willis starred in <em>Moonlighting</em></a> alongside Cybill Shepherd. Willis remained on the series for 66 episodes until it ended in 1989.</p>
<p>In 1987, Willis secured his first major film role. He played the character Walter Davis in <em>Blind Date</em> alongside Kim Basinger. Willis established himself as an action movie star the following year when he played John McClane in <em>Die Hard</em>.</p>
<p>In 1989, Willis voiced Mikey in <em>Look Who’s Talking</em> and the 1990 sequel <em>Look Who’s Talking Too</em>. Some of Willis’ other acting appearances include roles in <em>Armageddon</em>, <em>The Bonfire of the Vanities</em>, <em>The Expendables</em>, Glass, and <em>Red</em>.</p>
<p>During a 1988 interview with <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDsb8FYZqaU” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Oprah Winfrey</a>, Willis said sudden fame was “frightening” for him. He didn’t know how to handle his new life.</p>
<p>“It’s very frightening,” says Willis. “And being the kind of tough guy that I am, or like to think that I am, you never want to let anyone know you’re afraid. You never want to tell anyone that you’re afraid of what is happening in your life. It was scary for me.”</p>
<h2>How much was Bruce Willis paid for ‘Die Hard’?</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-custom-image-1200″><img decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” width=”1280″ height=”884″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=1200″ alt=”Bruce Willis attends a ‘Die Hard’ event with his wife. ” class=”wp-image-3437913″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg 1280w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=640&h=442 640w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=768&h=530 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=1024&h=707 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=1200&h=829 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=87&h=60 87w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruce-Willis.jpg?w=150&h=104 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Bruce Willis and his wife Emma Heming Willis | Dave M. Benett/WireImage</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Willis was reportedly paid $5 million for <em>Die Hard</em>. At the time, a salary like this was unheard of. The late Alan Ladd Jr., former chairman of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, told the <a href=”https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-02-18-8803310415-story.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Chicago Tribune</a> that Willis’ high salary would throw the entertainment business “out of whack.”</p>
<p>Ladd told the publication he was “stunned” when he heard how much Willis would be paid. According to him, other actors would start requesting higher salaries.</p>
<p>“We haven’t gone after a big star in the last month,” Ladd said. “But if we try to make a deal with Tom Selleck, for example, after <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tom-sellecks-most-memorable-roles-outside-blue-bloods-and-magnum-p-i.html/”>Three Men and a Baby</a></em>, is he going to say, ‘I’ve just been in a big, successful picture, so I want $6 million’?”</p>
<h2>Bruce Willis’ highest-grossing films</h2>
<p>As of this writing, Willis’ highest-grossing film is <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/bruce-willis-made-100-million-the-sixth-sense-despite-14-million-salary.html/”>The Sixth Sense</a></em>. The 1999 film had worldwide box office earnings of $673 million. This includes $294 million at the domestic box office and $379 million internationally.</p>
<p>His other high-grossing films include <em>Armageddon</em>, with $555 million in worldwide box office earnings; <em>Live Free or Die Hard</em>, with $382 million in worldwide box office earnings; and <em>G.I. Joe Retaliation</em>, with $376 million in worldwide box office earnings.</p>
<h2 id=”h-bruce-willis-net-worth”>Bruce Willis’ net worth</h2>
<p>As of this writing, Willis has an estimated net worth of $250 million, according to <a href=”https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/bruce-willis-net-worth/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Celebrity Net Worth</a>. He has built his impressive wealth with paydays from movies such as <em>Last Man Standing</em> ($16.5 million), <em>Live Free or Die Hard</em> ($25 million), and <em>Unbreakable </em>($20 million).</p>
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