Bruce Willis Then & Now: Photos Of The Actor From His Younger Years To Today

By:

Christina Casiano

In honor of Bruce Willis’ 68th birthday, look back at the legendary actor from his younger days to now.

1 of 26

Bruce Willis Now & Then: Photos

Bruce Willis Now & Then: Photos — Bruce Willis’ charm was undeniable from the moment he stepped into the spotlight. The actor, born Mar. 19, 1955, started his career on off-Broadway before his breakout role in the comedy-drama ‘Moonlighting’. His fame catapulted to another level with the ‘Die Hard’ (1988) and only continued from there. Other iconic credits include ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘The Fifth Element’, ‘The Sixth Sense’ and more.

In Mar. 2022, his family revealed that he was suffering from aphasia, a condition characterized by difficulty processing written or spoken word that often happens after a stroke or other medical emergency. They said that Bruce would be ‘stepping away’ from acting to deal with his health. The star’s family added they were “appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.” By 2023, the family confirmed that Bruce’s condition had worsened and he now had frontotemporal dementia.

As of his retirement, he had over 70 film roles in his credits. Take a look back a Bruce during his early days here.

2 of 26

Bruce Willis In ‘Moonlighting’

Bruce Willis In ‘Moonlighting’ — Bruce Willis is seen with his ‘Moonlighting’ co-star Cybill Shepherd. The show, which ran for 5 seasons, was about the quirky cases of a former model and a smart aleck detective who manage a private detective agency.

3 of 26

Bruce Willis Wins An Emmy

Bruce Willis Wins An Emmy — Winner! Bruce Willis proudly holds his Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 1987. He won the award for starring as David Addison on ‘Moonlighting.’

4 of 26

Bruce Willis In 1990

Bruce Willis In 1990 — Bruce Willis looks handsome in a shot from 1990. He wore a grey vest on top of a white shirt while posing for a photo shoot.

5 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard’

Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard’ — Bruce Willis became a worldwide name with 1988’s ‘Die Hard’. The film spawned 4 sequels. Here, he films an action scene while shirtless under a vest.

6 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘Hudson Hawk’

Bruce Willis in ‘Hudson Hawk’ — Bruce Willis appears in 1991’s ‘Hudson Hawk’. The film was about a cat burglar is forced to steal Da Vinci works of art for a world domination plot.

7 of 26

Bruce Willis & Demi Moore In 1992

Bruce Willis & Demi Moore In 1992 — Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were married from 1987 to 2000. The couple, seen here at the opening night party for Planet Hollywood in 1992, remain close friends since their split.

8 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘Pulp Fiction’

Bruce Willis in ‘Pulp Fiction’ — Packing the punch. Bruce Willis had the memorable role of retired boxer Butch Coolidge in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino classic ‘Pulp Fiction’.

9 of 26

Bruce Willis’s Handprint Ceremony

Bruce Willis’s Handprint Ceremony — Bruce Willis earns a handprint at Hollywood’s iconic Chinese Theatre. It was May 18, 1995 and he was surrounded by family at the event.

10 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘Twelve Monkeys’

Bruce Willis in ‘Twelve Monkeys’ — Timewarp. Bruce Willis starred in 1995’s ‘Twelve Monkeys’. The Terry Gilliam directed flick was about a convict who is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

11 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘The Sixth Sense’

Bruce Willis in ‘The Sixth Sense’ — You know the line. Bruce Willis lead M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 thriller ‘The Sixth Sense’, which made a minor star of young actor Haley Joel Osment.

12 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘The Fifth Element’

Bruce Willis in ‘The Fifth Element’ — Space case! One of Bruce Willis’s best roles is as taximan Korben Dallas in the 1997 Luc Besson film ‘The Fifth Element’.

13 of 26

Bruce Willis & Demi Moore At The ‘Striptease’ Premiere

Bruce Willis & Demi Moore At The ‘Striptease’ Premiere — Demi Moore and husband Bruce Willis take their daughters, Scout, left, and Rumer, center, to the premiere of her film ‘Striptease’ in 1996. The two also have a third daughter, Tallulah.

14 of 26

Bruce Willis at ‘Surrogates’ film premiere

Bruce Willis at ‘Surrogates’ film premiere — Bruce Willis and daughter Rumer Willis attend the premiere of ‘Surrogates’ in 2009. Rumer is Bruce’s oldest daughter with Demi.

15 of 26

Bruce Willis With Emma Heming & Rumer Willis

Bruce Willis With Emma Heming & Rumer Willis — After his split from Demi Moore, Bruce went on to marry Emma Heming. Here, he poses with Emma and Rumer at a movie premiere in 2010.

16 of 26

Bruce Willis at a ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ Photocall

Bruce Willis at a ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ Photocall — Bruce Willis attends a photocall for his movie ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ in 2013. He wore a grey suit for the occasion, which featured him on a red carpet.

17 of 26

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at the ‘Red 2’ Premiere

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at the ‘Red 2’ Premiere — Bruce Willis and Emma Heming couple up at the premiere of ‘Red 2’ in 2013. They held hands as they posed for photos on the red carpet.

18 of 26

Bruce Willis at a 2014 Oscars Party

Bruce Willis at a 2014 Oscars Party — Bruce Willis attends the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar party with wife Emma Heming. The two dressed up in black ensembles. Emma was pregnant with one of the couple’s two daughters at the time.

19 of 26

Bruce Willis & His Daughter Mabel

Bruce Willis & His Daughter Mabel — Bruce Willis carries his daughter Mabel while out and about in Los Angeles. Mabel is the older daughter who Bruce shares with Emma.

20 of 26

Bruce Willis at the ‘Sin City: A Dame To Kill For’ Premiere

Bruce Willis at the ‘Sin City: A Dame To Kill For’ Premiere — Bruce Willis hits the red carpet in 2014. He attended the premiere of ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ in a black suit.

21 of 26

Bruce Willis at the Gershwin Prize Tribute Concert

Bruce Willis at the Gershwin Prize Tribute Concert — Bruce Willis hosts a tribute concert in Washington in 2017. He sported some scruff on his face while addressing the crowd at the event.

22 of 26

Bruce Willis in ‘Death Wish’

Bruce Willis in ‘Death Wish’ — Bruce Willis appears in a scene from the 2018 movie ‘Death Wish.’ He filmed scenes for the movie on city streets.

23 of 26

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at Tony Bennett’s Birthday

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at Tony Bennett’s Birthday — Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming attend Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday celebration at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza, in New York. The two were all smiles on the red carpet.

24 of 26

Bruce Willis at a Jazz Concert

Bruce Willis at a Jazz Concert — Bruce Willis attends The Jazz Foundation of America’s 17th Annual ‘A Great Night In Harlem’ Gala Concert. The event took place in April 2019.

25 of 26

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at the ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Premiere

Bruce Willis & Emma Heming at the ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Premiere — Bruce Willis and Emma Heming attend the ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ premiere in 2019. The event was part of the NY Film Festival.

26 of 26

Bruce Willis at the ‘Glass Premiere’

Bruce Willis at the ‘Glass Premiere’ — Bruce Willis attends the Londo premiere of ‘Glass’ in Jan. 2019. He was handsome in a blue suit.

Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get the hottest celeb news.

ad