Key Takeaways:
– Legendary actor Bruce Willis experienced an emotional transformation during the shooting of the 2012 film, ‘Looper'.
– While filming ‘Looper', Willis began to view his character's actions in a radically different light.
– Willis found the task of acting alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who portrayed his character's younger self, surprisingly challenging.
Many know Bruce Willis as an absolute star in the Hollywood battlefield, having rolled out a number of groundbreaking hits in his esteemed career. However, the filming of ‘Looper' in 2012 took him on an emotional journey he hadn't perceived. In this award-winning sci-fi action film, Willis experienced an existential awakening, compelling him to reflect deeply on the actions of his character.
Emotional Awakening in ‘Looper'
In ‘Looper', Willis shared the screen with co-stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. The film, masterfully directed by Rian Johnson, is centred around a hitman named Joe, played by both Willis and Gordon-Levitt. The plot introduces a moral quandary when Joe's future self (portrayed by Willis) is sent back in time, making him a target for his younger self.
Willis complimented the film for its wonderfully intricate plot and the incorporation of a time-travel element. Yet, what impacted him the most was the narrative persuading the audience to confront past errors and the internal struggle of altering the course of life.
However, his biggest surprise was the emotional magnitude that ‘Looper' evoked. Not anticipating how the film would challenge his understanding of his character's actions, he stated, “I didn't judge him.”
On an emotional note, Willis confessed to Daily Star, per Contact Music, about how he was “moved” by his character's actions when watching the finished film. He further added, “I was emotionally moved by how horribly wrong the things I was doing were. It is an emotional film.” His words reflect the unexpected impact that the sci-fi thriller had on his perception.
Balancing Act with Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Surprisingly, another challenge faced by the ‘Die Hard' star during the making of ‘Looper' was acting opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was cast as his younger self. The film used prosthetics to grant Gordon-Levitt a closer aesthetic resemblance to Willis.
Willis referred to the experience of seeing someone impersonating his own younger self as “a strange thing”. He further explained how the similarity was so uncanny that it distracted him during his scenes with Gordon-Levitt.
Perfecting Gordon-Levitt's Role
Gordon-Levitt also admitted to investing considerable effort into playing Willis' younger self. Alongside extensive study of Willis' previous films, he also worked closely with the veteran star to prepare for his role. Willis even recorded some monologues, which he sent to Gordon-Levitt to study.
Despite the initial disconcerting experience, Willis grew accustomed to performing with the ‘Don Jon' star. The fruitful labour of these talented actors made ‘Looper' a critically acclaimed film and a commercial hit, grossing $176 million at the box office.
For those who haven't laid eyes on it yet, ‘Looper' is readily accessible on Netflix. This emotional and captivating film is worth experiencing – a chance to witness Willis like you've never seen him before.
In conclusion, while Willis' acclaimed acting career has come to an unfortunate halt due to his recent dementia diagnosis, his emotional revelation during the production of ‘Looper' demonstrates the depth behind his performances. By reliving his complex reactions to his character's actions, we see the transformative power of storytelling in Hollywood.
