“He was fantastic” or “he always was and always will be a big star” – Arnold Schwarzenegger repeatedly praised his colleague Bruce Willis in recent interviews. In doing so, he even got carried away with the bizarre statement, given his colleague’s state of health, that “action stars never retire, they just recharge” (original sound: ). Nevertheless, it must be concluded from all statements that Schwarzenegger values his colleague. That wasn’t the case before…
In his book “The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood’s Kings of Carnage,” which will be published in a few days, author Nick de Semlyen looks back at the great era of Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis and co . In a now advance The published excerpt is about “Die Hard” – and how little respect the “real” movie heroes like Schwarzenegger and Stallone had for Willis, formerly best known as a TV actor.
As is known, hardly anyone believed that “Die Hard” starring Bruce Willis would really become a success – which is why he was not the first choice for a long time. But many established action stars have previously turned down the role. After the film, the image rotated. The audience loved to see an “everyone” like Willis, who doesn’t have the big muscles, take on terrorists like a lone wolf. But not everyone was thrilled…
Arnie laughed at “Die Hard”
Author de Semlyen reports that the film was shown to Arnold Schwarzenegger at a private screening on the grounds of the producing studio Fox. The ‘Terminator’ star laughed out loud throughout the movie – although it was not a positive, enthusiastic laugh, as the term “guffawed” (which has negative connotations) makes clear.
Shortly after the theatrical release, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis are said to have met in a restaurant. When Willis entered the bar, Schwarzenegger, who was already there, is said to have shouted through the store loud enough for everyone to hear: “Do you know why you’ll never be an action star?” Willis replied, “No, Arnold, why?” Arnold then bared his biceps, pointed and replied “toothpick arms.”
So even after the success of Die Hard, Schwarzenegger persisted in the misconception that action stars should have big muscles, a long-held belief in the 1980s. He should have admitted this mistake himself by now.