Following the news that action movie legend Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting due to his struggles with aphasia, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has discussed working with the actor on the 2012 sci-fi action flick, Looper. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Gordon-Levitt, who plays a young version of Bruce Willis’ character in Looper, revealed how Bruce Willis gave him a compliment in that uber-cool way that only Bruce Willis can.
“I had a moment of validation, there was a scene later in the movie where we were yelling at each other. I don’t know if Bruce did this on purpose or he did it unintentionally, but it was kind of the highest compliment he could pay me. It was right after they said cut, he was turning away and walking back to his mark, he didn’t even say it to me, he kind of said it to himself, ‘Sounds like me.’ I just turned to myself and was like, ‘F—ng yes!’ I think, knowing him, that was really his ultra generous way of paying me a compliment, but it was very kind to do it in that way.”
Thanks to his lesser output in recent years, it’s easy to forget that Willis was considered by far one of the coolest action stars of all time, and giving his co-star a compliment in this way is peak Bruce Willis. Clearly, it meant a whole lot to Joseph Gordon-Levitt to hear these words whispered from Willis in such a discreet manner. Particularly when Gordon-Levitt was under a lot of pressure to emulate Willis himself.
Looper is considered by some to be Bruce Willis’ last truly great performance. Directed by Rian Johnson, Looper is set in the near future in which the mob sends their victims back in time in order to have them executed without a trace. The executioners are known as ‘loopers’ who will eventually be forced to kill their future self in order to close the loop. Trouble arises when Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fails to kill Old Joe, played by Bruce Willis, setting them on a collision course that could affect both the present and the future.
Bruce Willis Has Now Stepped Away From Acting After Aphasia Diagnosis
Sadly, it was recently revealed that Bruce Willis will be stepping away from acting due to the actor suffering from aphasia, a neurological disorder that affects motor skills such as speech. "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” Bruce Willis' daughter Rumer Willis said in a statement. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
The statement continued saying, "This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that. Love, Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, & Evelyn.”