The on-screen action that turned into off-camera tragedies: 35 years after Bruce Willis’ Die Hard exploded into theaters, FEMAIL reveals what became of its cast – from heartbreaking deaths to the leading man’s devastating brain condition battle
- The film has become something of a cultural phenomenon since its 1988 release
- The thriller, starring Bruce Willis, became the highest grossing film that year
- Here, FEMAIL looks back at what happened to the cast since the credits rolled
Die Hard has become something of a cultural phenomenon since its release in 1988.
The blockbuster, which has been captivating audiences for decades, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this weekend.
The action-packed thriller follows a New York City police officer as he tries to save his estranged wife and dozens of other hostages taken by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
It went on to become the highest-grossing film of that year and acted as a career springboard for many of its stars who have enjoyed varying professional and personal success since.
Die Hard, which has been captivating audiences for decades, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this weekend
Heading up the cast was Bruce Willis and the leading man has been on quite the rollercoaster after the credits first rolled – from becoming a Hollywood icon to his messy split from Demi Moore and recent aphasia diagnosis.
Others too – such as Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson and De’voreaux White – have all had their fair share of highs and lows.
As the iconic movie celebrates its milestone anniversary, FEMAIL has laid bare what happened to the cast after the box office hit was released.
Bruce Willis became one of the biggest names in Hollywood before stepping away from acting following his aphasia diagnosis
Acting legend Bruce Willis took up the leading role as NYPD officer John McClane in the 1988 thriller.
The action hero successfully battled to save the hostages and kill off the ‘terrorists’ who were later revealed to actually be thieves after the $640 million in the building’s vault.
Willis, who was 33 at the time of filming, already had a long list of movie credits under his belt – and has gone on to have dozens more.
He has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood after dominating screens for more than three decades in a career that has spanned across the genres.
Acting legend Bruce Willis took up the leading role as NYPD officer John McClane (left) in the 1988 thriller – and has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Right in 2019
Some of his starring performances after Die Hard have included the 1999 spine-chilling mystery The Sixth Sense (pictured)
Some of his starring performances have been in blockbusters like family comedy Look Who’s Talking (1989), crime drama Pulp Fiction (1994) and spine-chilling mystery The Sixth Sense (1999) – as well as returning for the Die Hard sequels.
Not one to shy away from any opportunity, during the 1990s in particular, Willis also appeared in several independent and low-budget productions, which won him new fans and praise from critics.
For his efforts, he has received 22 award wins and a further 53 nominations to date. He is also said to have a net worth of $250 million as of 2023, according to reports.
However, his personal life has been a little less straightforward in the years since Die Hard was first released.
Willis met Demi Moore in August 1987, shortly before the film was released, and a whirlwind romance quickly followed with a marriage and pregnancy within four months.
But despite staying married for 13 years from 1987 to 2000 and sharing three children – Rumer, Scout and Tallulah – Moore has claimed that they had a rocky relationship.
In her memoir Inside Out, published in 2019, she claimed that Willis ‘wanted to do whatever the f*** he wanted to do’ and insisted she stayed home with the kids instead of having a career of her own.
Unsurprisingly, their high-profile marriage broke down, but the pair remained close.
Despite staying married for 13 years from 1987 to 2000 and sharing three children – Rumer, Scout and Tallulah – Moore has claimed that she and Willis had a rocky relationship
But both Moore and Heming have recently come together to support Willis after he was diagnosed with aphasia. Pictured left to right: Emma Heming, Moore, Willis, and daughters Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, Evelyn and Rumer
Willis opened up to Rolling Stone at the time about the changing nature of their relationship.
He said: ‘I still love Demi. We’re very close. We have three children whom we will continue to raise together, and we’re probably as close now as we ever were. We realize we have a lifelong commitment to our kids. Our friendship continues. The institution has been set aside.’
The actor also went on to find love again with current wife Emma Heming.
The couple tied the knot in 2009 at his home in Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos, before welcoming daughters Mabel Ray in 2012 and Evelyn Penn in 2014.
But both Moore and Heming have recently come together to support Willis after he was diagnosed with aphasia – a brain condition that affects his ability to understand language – which has progressed to dementia.
He had reportedly been struggling with cognitive issues on the sets of his films for years and even needed an earpiece to feed him lines.
Willis, now 68, has since stepped away from acting and has instead been spending time with his blended family.
Alan Rickman carved out a niche playing the villain – but sadly died of pancreatic cancer aged 69
Hans Gruber, who was the main antagonist in the 1988 box office hit, was played by English actor Alan Rickman.
The character masterminded the entire plan which began to go awry as members of his group were killed off before Gruber himself fell to his death from a window.
It seemed that Die Hard gave Rickman the opportunity to carve out his niche for playing the ‘bad guy’ in a whole host of guises.
Hans Gruber (left), who was the main antagonist in the 1988 box office hit, was played by English actor Alan Rickman. Pictured right is the actor in 2015
He was instantly recognizable as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise.
But he also took up roles as love-rat Harry in Love Actually (2003) and corrupt judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007).
During his career, the star achieved 35 nominations and 11 wins – including for BAFTAs and Emmys – across his projects.
Sadly, Rickman died of pancreatic cancer aged 69 in 2016 and left behind more than $5 million (£4 million) in his will.
Rickman carved out his niche for playing the ‘bad guy’ in a whole host of guises including as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise (pictured)
Following his death, the bulk of his UK assets went to wife Rima Horton, now 76, who lived with him in west London (pictured together in 2015)
The bulk of his UK assets went to wife Rima Horton, now 76, who lived with him in west London.
But he also left more than $34,000 (£25,000) each to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Sponsored Arts for Education, the Facial Surgery Research Foundation known as Saving Faces and the International Performers Aid Trust.
Rickman was widely involved in the latter two charities in his lifetime. He also left $34,000 (£25,000) each to his three nieces.
Bonnie Bedelia struggled to land the high-profile roles she wanted before slamming the industry for having favorites
Bonnie Bedelia had suffered mixed fortunes before assuming the role of Holly Gennaro – estranged wife of John McClane – in Die Hard.
Her career had got off to a strong start after making her professional debut aged just nine in 1957 – but taking a break to focus on motherhood proved to be detrimental.
And, despite her stellar performance in the 1988 blockbuster, Bedelia has often been overlooked for bigger movie roles in the years since.
Bonnie Bedelia had suffered mixed fortunes before assuming the role of Holly Gennaro (left) – estranged wife of John McClane – in Die Hard. Pictured right in 2018
Instead she was able to land more frequent parts in TV projects – particularly those that centered on social themes such as in The Division (2001) as a police captain and as a family matriarch in Parenthood (2010).
Bedelia has been very candid about her struggle to gain the high-profile roles she aspired to, telling the Chicago Tribune in 1992 that critics often asked why she disappeared for prolonged periods of time before coming back with a strong performance.
She said: ‘It’s about trying to get hired for 25 years… It’s about someone who arguably is one of the finest actresses in America, who never has had a drug problem, never has had a drinking problem, is always on time, always gives 200 percent, is beautiful and sexy and can’t get a job!
‘Critics say, “Why is it that Bonnie Bedelia disappears for years at a time and then comes back and wows us with her performance and then disappears again? Why is she so choosy?” If they only knew!’
Not only that but the now 75-year-old has also regularly hit out at ageism and sexism within the industry.
Instead she was able to land more frequent parts in TV projects – particularly those that centered on social themes such as in The Division (pictured center)
Bedelia has been married three times but has now settled with Michael MacRae (pictured in 2004)
Most notably, she said: ‘Many movies don’t have any women in leading parts – just two or three males. And if it’s a woman’s role of any substance at all, they go, “OK, number one, Julia Roberts.”
‘It doesn’t matter – the part could be a hunchback, 50-year-old Black woman, and they’re going to go to Julia Roberts even before they go to Whoopi. It’s unbelievable.
‘(Studio executives) have their little list, and that’s just the way it goes. There isn’t enough for everybody to be working.’
Bedelia has been married three times, but has now settled with Michael MacRae.
In her free time, she has pursued other artistic outlets including painting and has also been penning a memoir for her two children – sons Uri (born 1970) and Jonah (born 1976).
Reginald VelJohnson has taken a more relaxed approach to landing roles as he ‘accepts life as it comes’
New York-native Reginald VelJohnson starred in Die Hard as Sgt. Al Powell – the bumbling police officer who helped McClane face the terrorist takeover.
It was the actor’s first major film role and he later told AV Club: ‘That was the role of my life, and I’ll never have another one like it. It was cool.’
The box office hit acted as a springboard for VelJohnson who ended up landing a slew of other roles as law enforcement officers including in Turner & Hooch and Family Matters – which he was in for nine seasons.
New York-native Reginald VelJohnson starred in Die Hard as Sgt. Al Powell (left) – the bumbling police officer who helped McClane face the terrorist takeover. Pictured right in 2021
Asked about the recurring pattern, he told the publication: ‘I try to portray each police officer in a different way than one I’ve played before. It seems to work.
‘But I enjoy the fact that they see me as a cop. That’s fine with me. I’ll show you a cop as long as you want me to.’
In more recent years, VelJohnson has revealed that he is taking a more relaxed approach to landing work and taking on more supporting roles.
The now 70-year-old told Forbes earlier this year: ‘To sit and watch other people go through what I went through is fine by me.
Die Hard acted as a springboard for VelJohnson who ended up landing a slew of other roles as law enforcement officers including in Turner & Hooch and Family Matters (pictured)
‘I don’t have to get involved in a major way as I did before. I did another commercial… I did a couple of movies and I just hope that they work out and if they don’t, it’s okay because I had my fill.
‘It’s okay to be – I wouldn’t say retired, I hate that word retired. I just slow down a little bit and that’s what’s good – accepting life as it comes to me and just being quiet. That’s what I like.’
In 2017, VelJohnson was the subject of a death hoax, which forced him to refute the claim by issuing a tweet to state that he was alive and well.
De’voreaux White’s fame made him unhappy and he ultimately became a clinician at a rehab facility
De’voreaux White played Argyle in the box officer hit – assigned to take John McClane from the airport to the Nakatomi Plaza.
But despite being described as the tritagonist of the story – the character who is third in importance – and also having the last line of the entire movie, White ultimately went on to shun the limelight.
He previously told Newsweek that following his appearance in Die Hard he was inundated with acting offers, bought a house in Hollywood, and owned a Range Rover and a Mercedes – but that success came at a price.
De’voreaux White played Argyle (left) in the box officer hit – assigned to take John McClane form the airport to the Nakatomi Plaza. Pictured right in an IMDb photo
White admitted: ‘I was just a kid who had got wrapped up in the Hollywood thing.
‘My mom had died at Christmas when I was 10 and I think my life became all about the parties and I leaned towards fame and fortune instead of dealing with that pain.
‘There was a night when I was at a club with a bunch of guys including Wesley Snipes.
‘I remember them telling me I was about to be big and how lucky I was. But it wasn’t making me happy and I started drinking a lot to drown my sorrows.’
More recently, he made a brief cameo alongside Bruce Willis in a car battery commercial (pictured on set for the ad)
He continued: ‘I think I needed to find out who I really was. So I faced all my fears and everything that had happened with my mom passing.
‘It took years, but today I’m happier than I’ve ever been.’
In 2013, White, who now lives in Los Angeles, became a certified clinician and soon began working at a rehab facility, revealing: ‘I learned that I wanted to help people.’
More recently, the now 57-year-old made a brief cameo alongside Bruce Willis in a car battery commercial.
James Shigeta, who was already in the autumn of his career, passed away age 85
In Die Hard, James Shigeta, who was born in Hawaii, assumed the role of ill-fated executive Joe Takagi.
His character met a sticky end when he was shot in the head by Gruber, the leader of the terrorist group, when he refused to give them the code for the vault.
Shigeta had already enjoyed an illustrious career before he appeared in the smash 1988 hit – having previously been described as ‘the foremost East Asian leading man of twentieth century US film.’
In Die Hard, James Shigeta, who was born in Hawaii, assumed the role of ill-fated executive Joe Takagi (pictured)
When the credits rolled on Die Hard, the star was already in the autumn of his career, having already been in the industry for nearly 50 years.
In the years that followed, he continued to keep his hand in by providing the voice of General Li in the Disney animated hit Mulan (1998) and appearing briefly in Beverly Hills, 90210.
Shigeta’s last official appearance on screen was in 2009 indie film titled The People I’ve Slept With.
In 2014, the actor (pictured with fellow actress Nancy Kwan previously) passed away at the age of 85 in Los Angeles
In 2014, the actor passed away at the age of 85 in Los Angeles.
His publicist, Jeffrey Leavitt, said at the time: ‘It is with great sadness that I report the loss of my long time friend and client.
‘James passed peacefully in his sleep, July 28, 2014, at 2pm. The world has lost a great actor. Sadly, I lost a dear friend.’
Shigeta was survived by a sister, Barbara, and three brothers – Howard, Wilfred and Clarence – but more details are not known about his personal life.
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