During the 1980s, the casting process for Die Hard presented a seemingly impossible challenge, as numerous acclaimed Hollywood actors, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood, Richard Gere, and others, declined the opportunity to portray the iconic NYPD detective John McClane

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Bruce Willis in Die Hard

However, his agent, Arnold Rifkin, seized the moment and skillfully negotiated Willis’ acting fee to an impressive $5 million, as revealed in the book The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood’s Kings of Carnage.

How Did Bruce Willis Land The Famous Role

According to author Nick de Semlyen’s book, producer Larry Gordon expressed the difficulty they faced in casting the role of John McClane, as all the potential action stars declined the opportunity.

Despite having a strong script, they struggled to secure an actor for the role.

Bruce Willis in Die Hard
Having recognized the predicament faced by the Die Hard team, Rifkin issued a firm ultimatum to Gordon, stating, “Take it or leave it.

If you don’t close the deal by Friday, he’s gonna go to Japan and do some commercials.”

Initially, Bruce Willis joined the ranks of others who turned down the role due to his commitment to the popular TV show Moonlighting.

However, a fortunate turn of events occurred when his co-star, Cybill Shepherd, announced her pregnancy shortly after Willis declined the role.

This unexpected development granted him an 11-week window of availability, paving the way for him to ultimately accept the iconic role of John McClane in Die Hard.

“They’re going to laugh you off the screen,” Glenn Gordon Caron told Willis on his casting. “That’s a Schwarzenegger movie.” 

Bruce Willis Cracked A Lucrative Deal For The Role

After successfully securing the lucrative $5 million deal, Willis embarked on the filming journey.

However, on the first day of shooting, the crew took extra precautions to ensure the actor’s well-being following the completion of a daring stunt.

Bruce Willis
In a daring display of action, the actor was escorted to the highest level of a multi-story parking garage, clad solely in black pants and with his skin coated in a gel-like substance.

With fearless resolve, Willis leaped directly from the five-story structure, descending through the air before skillfully landing on a carefully positioned inflatable airbag.

As Willis made his landing, the detonation of plastic bags filled with gasoline propelled him perilously close to the edge of the airbag.

In the swift aftermath, the vigilant crew members swiftly approached the actor, prompting Willis to initially mistake their quick response as a gesture of praise or admiration.

“When I landed, everyone came running over to me and I thought they were going to say, ‘Great job! Attaboy!’” Willis recalled.

“And what they were doing is seeing if I’m alive because I almost missed the bag.