Bruce Willis Would Have Passed On Die Hard Without A Cybill Shepherd ‘Miracle’

With Willis working on “Moonlighting,” things seemed bleak for the prospects of him starring in “Die Hard.” This was until a bit of good luck occurred thanks to his co-star, Cybill Shepherd, according to the interview.

“The show had become popular by 1988, I think I’d already read the script for ‘Die Hard’ once, but had to pass because of the show. As it turns out, a miracle happened — Cybill Shepherd got pregnant and they shut down the show for 11 weeks — just the right amount of time for me to run around over at Nakatomi Tower.”

Thanks to Shepherd’s pregnancy, Willis was able to take the time to film “Die Hard,” and thank goodness he did. I said before that it’s one of Willis’ best roles, and it seems he agrees. In an interview with Closer Weekly, Willis talks about how much he preferred his role in “Die Hard” to his in “Moonlighting.”

“‘Die Hard’ is probably the closest I’ve come to showing what is in my heart on screen. David Addison is a character I play on ‘Moonlighting.’ In ‘Die Hard,’ even though I’m acting, a lot of what is in me came through. I really wanted to play a vulnerable guy. I didn’t want to be a superhero who’s a larger than life guy that nobody really knows. I don’t know any superheroes. I know guys who are afraid and have anxiety, and I think you know people like that, too. That’s what I wanted to play. I really wanted to be honest about the moment you go through when you think your life is about to end. I wanted to play somebody who was afraid to die.”