Coordinates	50°8′36″N20°56′47″N
Name	Monica Bellucci
Caption	Monica Bellucci at the Women's World Award 2009
Birth name	Monica Anna Maria Bellucci
Birth date	September 30, 1964
Birth place	Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy
Death date
Occupation	Actress and fashion model
Years active	1990 – present
Spouse	Claudio Carlos Basso (1990 – ?) Vincent Cassel (1999 – present)

Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and fashion model.

Personal life

Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy, the daughter of Maria Gustinelli, a painter, and Luigi Bellucci, who owned a trucking company. Bellucci started modelling at 16, when she was attending the Liceo classico. Initially pursuing a career as a lawyer, Bellucci modeled to pay her tuition at the University of Perugia, but the lifestyle tempted her away from her law studies. She speaks Italian, French, and English fluently, Spanish semi-fluently, and she has had speaking roles in each of these languages as well as in Aramaic for her part as Mary Magdalene in The Passion of the Christ.

Bellucci was married to fashion photographer Claudio Carlos Basso in 1990. She is currently married to fellow actor Vincent Cassel, with whom she has appeared in several films, and has two daughters, Deva (born 12 September 2004) and Léonie (born 21 May 2010). In 2004, while pregnant with Deva, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair Magazine in protest against Italian laws that prevent the use of donor sperm. She posed pregnant and semi-nude again for the magazine's April 2010 issue.

In the documentary movie The Big Question, about the film The Passion of the Christ, she stated: "I am an agnostic, even though I respect and am interested in all religions. If there's something I believe in, it's a mysterious energy; the one that fills the oceans during tides, the one that unites nature and beings."

History

Modeling

{|align="right" |.]] |- |.]] |- | |} In 1988, Bellucci moved to one of Europe's fashion centers, Milan, where she signed with Elite Model Management. By 1989, she was becoming prominent as a fashion model in Paris and across the Atlantic, in New York City. She posed for Dolce & Gabbana and French Elle, among others. In that year, Bellucci made the transition to acting and began taking acting classes. The February 2001 Esquire's feature on Desire featured Ms. Bellucci on the cover and in an article on the five senses. In 2003, she was featured in Maxim. In 2004, she topped AskMen's 100 Most Beautiful Women in the World annual list. Bellucci's modelling career is managed by Elite+ in New York City. She is considered an Italian sex symbol. She is currently a face of a range of Dior Cosmetics. Bellucci is also signed to Storm Model Management in London.

Film

Bellucci's film career began in the early 1990s. She played some minor roles in La Riffa (1991) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). In 1996 she was nominated for a César Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Lisa in L'Appartement and strengthened her position as an actress. She became known and popular with worldwide audiences, following her roles in Malèna (2000), Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Irréversible (2002). She has since played in many films from Europe and Hollywood like Tears of the Sun (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Passion of the Christ (2004), The Brothers Grimm (2005), Le Deuxième souffle (2007), Don't Look Back (2009), and The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010).

She was supposed to be seen portraying Indian politician Sonia Gandhi in the biopic Sonia, originally planned for release in 2007, but it has been shelved.

Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases of the film Shoot 'Em Up (2007). She also voiced Kaileena in the video game , and the French voice of Cappy for the French version of the 2005 animated film Robots.

Awards

In 2003, Bellucci won the Nastro d'Argento Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of Alessia in Remember Me, My Love.

In 2006, she served as a judge at 59th Cannes Film Festival.

In 2009, she won the World Actress Award in Women's World Award.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | rowspan=2 | 1990 | Vita coi figli (Life With the Sons) | Elda | |- | Briganti – Amore e libertà (Bandits – Love and Liberty) | Costanza | |- | 1991 | la riffa | Francesca | |- |rowspan="2"| 1992 | Bram Stoker's Dracula | One of Dracula's brides | |- | ostinato destino | Marina/ Angela | |- |1994 | I Mitici | Deborah | |- |rowspan="3"|1995 | Pala di Neve | Melina | |- | Il cielo é sempre piú blu | | |- | Joseph | Pharaoh's wife | |- |rowspan="2"|1996 | L'Appartement | Lisa | Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | Sorellina e il principe del sogno (uncredited) | Princess |- |rowspan="4"|1997 | Stressati | | |- | Dobermann | Nat the Gypsy | |- | Mauvais genre | Camille | |- | Come mi vuoi | Nellina | |- |rowspan="4"| 1998 | Le plaisir | Girl | |- | Compromis | Monique | |- | Ultimo capodanno dell'umanità | Giulia Giovannini | |- | A los que aman | Valeria | |- |rowspan="2"| 1999 | Comme un poisson hors de l'eau | Myrtille | |- | Mediterranées |Marguerite | |- |rowspan="3"|2000 | Under Suspicion | Chantal Hearst | |- | Franck Spadone | Laura | |- | Malèna | Malèna Scordia | |- | 2001 | Brotherhood of the Wolf | Sylvia | |- |rowspan="2"|2002 | | Cleopatra | |- | Irréversible | Alex | |- |rowspan="5"|2003 | Remember Me, My Love | Alessia | Nastro d'Argento award for Best Supporting Actress |- | Tears of the Sun | Lena Fiore Kendricks | |- | The Matrix Reloaded | Persephone | |- | Enter the Matrix (video game) | Persephone | |- | The Matrix Revolutions | Persephone | |- |rowspan="3"|2004 | The Passion of the Christ | Mary Magdalene | |- | Secret Agents | Barbara / Lisa | |- | She Hate Me | Simona Bonasera | |- |rowspan="2"|2005 | The Brothers Grimm | The Mirror Queen | |- | How Much Do You Love Me? | Daniela | |- |rowspan="3"|2006 | Sheitan | La belle vampiresse | |- | N (Io e Napoleone) | Baronessa Emilia Speziali | |- | The Stone Council | Laura Siprien | |- |rowspan="4"|2007 | Heartango(short film for Intimissimi) | L'inafferrabile/ La passionale / L'indecisa / La curiosa / L'aggressiva / La mamma / La premurosa | |- | Manuale d'amore 2(Capitoli successivi) | Lucia | |- | Shoot 'Em Up | Donna Quintano | |- | Le deuxième souffle | Manouche | |- |rowspan="2"|2008 | Sanguepazzo | Luisa Ferida | |- | L'uomo che ama | Alba | |- |rowspan="4"|2009 | Don't Look Back | Jeanne | |- | The Private Lives of Pippa Lee | Gigi Lee | |- | Baarìa – La porta del vento | Bricklayer's girlfriend | |- | Omaggio a Roma | Tosca | |- |rowspan="2"| 2010 | The Whistleblower |Laura Levin |- | The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Veronica | |- |rowspan="1"| 2011 | A Burning Hot Summer | | |}

References

External links

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Italian film actors Category:Italian female models Category:Italian agnostics Category:University of Perugia alumni Category:People from Città di Castello

Coordinates	50°8′36″N20°56′47″N
Name	Manuela Arcuri
Birth date	January 08, 1977
Birth place	Anagni, Latium, Italy
Occupation	Film & TV actress
Yearsactive	1990's – present
Partner	Aldo Montano (?-2006)

Manuela Arcuri (born 8 January 1977) is an Italian actress and model.

Biography

Raised in Latina, Italy from an early age, after high school she enrolled in the Accademia d'Arte Drammatica (Academy for the Dramatic Arts) in Rome but she dropped out and enrolled in a 3-year sociology degree at the university. Manuela Arcuri, like many other young starlets of the 1990s and 2000s, was often the subject of gossip regarding her romantic relationships that put her on the covers of tabloids. She has a black belt in karate.

TV career

At a very early age she was attracted to showbusiness, and she became a fashion model; in 1995 she played parts in soap operas and in her first movie , Black Holes directed by Pappi Corsicato; then she had a supporting role in Graduates directed by Leonardo Pieraccioni, which brought her to the attention of the moviegoing public. She continued acting in other movies and stage productions, such as A pretty story of a woman e Liolà at the side of Gianfranco Jannuzzo and under the direction of Gigi Proietti.

In 2000 Manuela Arcuri, now considered a sex symbol, appeared in a calendar for the magazine GenteViaggi; the following year, she posed for another calendar, this time for the magazine Panorama, obtaining great success that consolidated her reputation and helped her land a role in the TV series Carabinieri. In 2001 she hosted the TV show Mai dire Goal with the Gialappa's Band. In 2002 she was crowned as a TV star by co-hosting Sanremo 'Festival (2002) alongside Pippo Baudo and her colleague, actress Vittoria Belvedere.

In 2003 she co-hosted with Teo Teocoli and Anna Maria Barbera the eighth series of the TV comedy show Scherzi a parte.

Advertising work

Lormar

Anima Gemella

Private life

Manuela has been in relationships with several celebrities: among these the soccer player Francesco Coco and Olympic fencing champion Aldo Montano. In 2009 she began dating philanthropist Austin Ryan Fuentes; they have since broke-up.

Filmography

Graduates, directed by Leonardo Pieraccioni (1995)

Black Holes, directed by Pappi Corsicato (1995)

Viaggi di nozze, directed by Carlo Verdone (1995)

Uomini senza donne, directed by Angelo Longoni (1996)

Gratta e vinci, directed by Ferruccio Castronuovo (1996)

A spasso nel tempo, directed by Carlo Vanzina (1996)

Cuori perduti, directed by Teresio Spalla (1997)

Finalmente soli, directed by Umberto Marino (1997)

Disokkupati, TV series in 40 episodes, directed Franza Di Rosa (1997)

Bagnomaria, directed by Giorgio Panariello (1999)

Voglio stare sotto al letto, directed by Bruno Colella (1999)

Anni '60, TV mini-series in 4 episodes, directed by Carlo Vanzina (1999)

Alla ricerca di Sheherazade, TV film, directed by Franco Giraldi (1999)

Coconut Heads, directed by Ugo Fabrizio Giordani (2000)

Freewheeling, directed by Vincenzo Salemme (2000)

Madness of Love (Juana la Loca), directed by Vicente Aranda (2001)

Carabinieri, first and second seasons of the TV series, directed by Raffaele Mertes (2002)

The Witch Affair, directed by José Miguel Juárez (2003)

Con le unghie e con i denti, TV film directed by Pier Francesco Pingitore (2003)

Madame, TV film directed by Salvatore Samperi (2004)

Regina dei fiori, directed by Vittorio Sindoni (2005)

Carabinieri: Sotto copertura, TV film directed by Raffaele Mertes (2005)

Imperia, la grande cortigiana, TV film directed by Pier Francesco Pingitore (2005)

L'Onore e il Rispetto, TV film directed by Salvatore Samperi (2006)

Donne sbagliate, TV film directed by Monica Vullo (2007)

Mogli a pezzi, TV film (2007)

Caterina e le sue figlie 2, second season of TV series, directed by Fabio Jephcott (2007)

Il peccato e la vergogna TV series (2010)

External links

Official website

Internet Movie Database record

Category:Italian actors Category:People from Latina Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Italian female models Category:Alumni of the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica

Coordinates	50°8′36″N20°56′47″N
Name	Charlie Sexton
Background	solo_singer
Born	August 11, 1968
Origin	Born: San Antonio, TexasRaised: Austin, Texas
Instrument	Guitar
Genre	BluesFolkRock
Occupation	Musician
Years active	1983–present
Label	Back Porch Records, MCA Records
Associated acts	Bob Dylan, Arc Angels, Los Super Seven

Charles Wayne Sexton (born August 11, 1968) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for Bob Dylan's backing band from 1999 to 2002 and since 2009. His style of playing has varied and he has been associated with artists in the blues, folk, rock and punk genres.

Biography

Sexton's mother was 16 years old when she gave birth to him in San Antonio, Texas. When he was four, he and his mother moved to Austin, where clubs such as the Armadillo World Headquarters, Soap Creek Saloon, and more notably the Split Rail and Antone's Blues Club later exposed him to popular music.

After a brief period living outside Austin with his mother, Sexton moved back to Austin at the age of 12.

By the early 1980s, while Charlie and his brother Will Sexton were still young boys, they were both taught how to play guitar by the local Austin legend W. C. Clark, known as the "Godfather of Austin Blues". With the help of Joe Ely and other local musicians such as Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sexton developed his talents as a musician.

Early successes

In 1983 Sexton (under the name "Guitar Charles Sexton") appeared on a five-song EP by the group Maxwell (a.k.a. the Eager Beaver Boys). Entitled Juvenile Junk, the EP's credits list the following musicians: Maxwell (lead vocals), Charles Sexton (guitars, backup vocals), Alex Buttersworth Napier (bass, backup vocals, maracas), and Gary Muddkatt Smith (drums, backup vocals, claves). Song titles are Straight As An Arrow, Don't Cha Know, Anna Lou, Back To School Blues, and Oh Baby Show. All five songs appear on side one (with side two being empty dead space). Old album jackets by groups such as the Flock were turned inside-out and used in the making of the EP's homemade covers. The front side is simply a pasted-on sheet of lined tablet paper with "Maxwell" and "Juvenile Junk" written in crayon; the back side is a pasted-on blue sheet with credits and photos. Juvenile Junk is one of the rarest and most sought after items in Sexton's vinyl discography.

In 1985 Sexton released his debut full-length album, Pictures for Pleasure. Recorded in Los Angeles when he was 16 years old, it yielded the Top 20 hit single, Beat's So Lonely.

In 1987 Sexton was an occasional opening act for David Bowie on his Glass Spider Tour. Sexton appears on the Glass Spider video playing guitar on Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and the Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat".

While still in his late teens, Sexton's skills as a guitar player were in great demand, and he became a popular session player, recording with artists such as Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Don Henley, Jimmy Barnes and Bob Dylan. He eventually followed up his debut with the self-titled album Charlie Sexton, recorded at the age of twenty.

Other projects

In 1988 Sexton worked for a time with Will Sexton, his brother. The band, Will and the Kill, released a 38 minute self-titled album featuring both Sexton and Jimmie Vaughan on tracks. The album was recorded at the Fire Station Studio and produced by Ely and released via MCA Records.

Sexton later contributed songs to various motion picture soundtracks, including True Romance and Air America while making a cameo fronting a bar band in Thelma & Louise.

In 1992, Sexton along with Doyle Bramhall II (son of Stevie Ray Vaughan's writing partner Doyle Bramhall), Tommy Shannon and Chris "Whipper" Layton (both from Double Trouble, Stevie Ray Vaughan's famed rhythm section) formed Arc Angels. The blues/rock band recorded and released a self-titled album on Geffen Records that same year. The Steven Van Zandt-produced disc was well-received by fans and critics alike. However, due to internal strife, including lack of communication (all members involved) and drug abuse (Bramhall), the band broke up in less than three years.

Next was the Charlie Sexton Sextet in 1995. Under The Wishing Tree was released on MCA Records. Although sales were disappointing, it was met with critical acclaim.

In the meantime, Sexton continued to perform with other artists, appearing on such notable albums as Lucinda Williams' Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and Shawn Colvin's Grammy-winning album A Few Small Repairs.

Association with Bob Dylan

In 1999, Sexton was hired by Bob Dylan to replace Bucky Baxter. Sexton had previously played with Dylan during a pair of Austin, Texas concerts in 1996, and on some demos recorded in the fall of 1983.

Sexton's residency with Dylan from 1999–2002 brought him great exposure, with many critics singling out the interplay between him and Larry Campbell, who was also a guitarist in Dylan's backing band. Hailed as one of Dylan's best bands, the group recorded a number of studio recordings, including Things Have Changed (from the 2000 film Wonder Boys) and 2001's critically acclaimed album, Love and Theft. He also performed and appeared with them in 2003's Masked & Anonymous.

In October 2009, Sexton rejoined Dylan's touring band, replacing Denny Freeman.

Recent activity

In the meantime, Sexton continued working with other artists, producing Double Trouble's Been a Long Time and Lucinda Williams's Essence, both released in 2001. Since first leaving Dylan's band, Sexton has produced numerous other works, including Edie Brickell's Volcano (2003), Jon Dee Graham's Great Battle (2004), Shannon McNally's Geronimo (2005), and Los Super Seven's Heard It on the X (2005). In late 2005, Sexton released his latest album, Cruel and Gentle Things. He has continued his record producing role for other artists, including 2007's release Wall of Fire by Canadian Peter Elkas.

In 2002, the Arc Angels began playing occasional "reunion" shows around Austin and Dallas. In 2009, it was announced the band, with original members Layton and Bramhall (but not Shannon), would begin touring extensively — including a stint with Eric Clapton in England — and recording a second album, their first new studio album in 17 years.

In 2010, he was seen on The Ellen Degeneres Show playing back up guitar in a performance by Matt Morris in which Justin Timberlake sang back up vocals.

He played the guitar and sang alongside Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris, who performed Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah for the .

On April 24, Charlie and Will Sexton made a rare appearance as a duo, opening for Roky Erickson and Okkervil River at the Paramount Theatre in Austin. Sexton was also the guest performer for Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour stop in Austin on May 14, 2010.

Most recently, Charlie appeared as a guest guitarist on the band Spoon's performance on the television show Austin City Limits. The episode premiered on PBS on October 9, 2010. Sexton appeared on one song, Who Makes Your Money.

Discography

;Studio albums Pictures for Pleasure (1985) U.S. #15

Charlie Sexton (1989) U.S. #104

Under the Wishing Tree (1995)

Cruel and Gentle Things (2005)

References

External links

Charlie Sexton collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Category:1968 births Category:American blues guitarists Category:American blues singer-songwriters Sexton, Charle Category:American rock singer-songwriters Category:Blues-rock musicians Category:Living people Category:People from Austin, Texas Category:People from San Antonio, Texas Category:Musicians from Texas

Coordinates	50°8′36″N20°56′47″N
Name	Bruce Willis
Caption	Willis at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2010
Birth name	Walter Bruce Willis
Birth date	March 19, 1955
Birth place	Idar-Oberstein, West Germany
Occupation	Actor, producer, musician
Genres	Blues, rock
Years active	1980–present
Other names	W.B. WillisBruno
Spouse	Demi Moore (1987–2000)Emma Heming (2009–present)

Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955), better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles. He is well known for the role of John McClane in the Die Hard series, which were mostly critical and uniformly financial successes. He has also appeared in over sixty films, including box office successes like Pulp Fiction, Sin City, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, and The Sixth Sense.

Motion pictures featuring Willis have grossed US$2.64 billion to 3.05 billion at North American box offices, making him the ninth highest-grossing actor in a leading role and twelfth highest including supporting roles. He is a two-time Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe Award-winning and four-time Saturn Award-nominated actor. Willis was married to actress Demi Moore and they had three daughters before their divorce in 2000 after thirteen years of marriage.

Early life

Willis was born in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany, the son of a Kassel-born German, Marlene, who worked in a bank, and David Willis, an American soldier. Willis is the eldest of four children: he has a sister, Florence, and a brother, David. His brother Robert died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, aged 42. After being discharged from the military in 1957, Willis's father took his family back to Penns Grove, New Jersey, where he worked as a welder and factory worker. His parents separated in 1972, while Willis was in his teens. Finding it easy to express himself on stage and losing his stutter in the process, Willis began performing on stage and his high school activities were marked by such things as the drama club and student council president. He quit after a colleague was killed on the job, and became a regular at several bars. After multiple auditions, Willis made his theater debut in the off-Broadway production of Heaven and Earth. He gained more experience and exposure in Fool for Love, and in a Levi's commercial.

Career

Early career

in 1989]]

Willis left New York City and headed to California to audition for several television shows. He auditioned for the role of David Addison Jr. of the television series Moonlighting (1985–89), while competing against 3,000 other actors for the position. The starring role, opposite Cybill Shepherd, helped to establish him as a comedic actor, with the show lasting five seasons. During the height of the show's success, beverage maker Seagram hired Willis as the pitchman for their Golden Wine Cooler products. The advertising campaign paid the rising star between $5–7 million over two years. In spite of that, Willis chose not to renew his contract with the company when he decided to stop drinking alcohol in 1988.

One of his first major film roles was in the 1987 Blake Edwards film Blind Date with Kim Basinger and John Larroquette. Edwards would cast him again to play the real-life cowboy actor Tom Mix in Sunset. However, it was his then-unexpected turn in the film Die Hard that catapulted him to movie star status. He performed most of his own stunts in the film, and the film grossed $138,708,852 worldwide. Following his success with Die Hard, he had a supporting role in the drama In Country as Vietnam veteran Emmett Smith and also provided the voice for a talking baby in Look Who's Talking, as well as its sequel Look Who's Talking Too.

1980s and 1990s

In the late 1980s, Willis enjoyed moderate success as a recording artist, recording an album of pop-blues titled The Return of Bruno, which included the hit single "Respect Yourself", promoted by a Spinal Tap-like rockumentary parody featuring scenes of him performing at famous events including Woodstock. Follow-up recordings were not as successful, though Willis has returned to the recording studio several times.

Willis acquired major personal success and pop culture influence playing John McClane in 1988's Die Hard. This film was followed up by in 1990 and Die Hard With a Vengeance in 1995. These first three installments in the Die Hard series grossed over US$700 million internationally and propelled Willis to the first rank of Hollywood action stars.

In the early 1990s, Willis's career suffered a moderate slump starring in flops such as The Bonfire of the Vanities, Striking Distance, and a film he co-wrote titled Hudson Hawk, among others. He starred in a leading role in the highly sexualized thriller Color of Night (1994), which was very poorly received by critics, but has become popular on video. However, in 1994, he had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed Pulp Fiction, which gave a new boost to his career. In 1996, he was the executive producer of the cartoon Bruno the Kid which featured a CGI representation of himself.

He went on to play the lead roles in Twelve Monkeys (1995) and The Fifth Element (1997). However, by the end of the 1990s, his career had fallen into another slump with critically panned films like The Jackal, Mercury Rising, and Breakfast of Champions, saved only by the success of the Michael Bay-directed Armageddon which was the highest grossing film of 1998 worldwide. The same year his voice and likeness were featured in the PlayStation video game Apocalypse. In 1999, Willis then went on to the starring role in M. Night Shyamalan's film, The Sixth Sense. The film was both a commercial and critical success and helped to increase interest in his acting career.

2000s - 2010s

In 2000, Willis won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on Friends (in which he played the father of Ross Geller's much-younger girlfriend). He was also nominated for a 2001 American Comedy Award (in the Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series category) for his work on Friends. Also in 2000, Willis played Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski in The Whole Nine Yards alongside Matthew Perry. Willis was originally cast as Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001) but dropped out to work on recording an album. In Ocean's Twelve (2004), he makes a cameo appearance as himself. In 2007, he appeared in the Planet Terror half of the double feature Grindhouse as the villain, a mutant soldier. This marks Willis's second collaboration with director Robert Rodriguez, following Sin City.

Willis has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman several times throughout his career. He filled in for an ill David Letterman on his show February 26, 2003, when he was supposed to be a guest. On many of his appearances on the show, Willis stages elaborate jokes, such as wearing a day-glo orange suit in honor of the Central Park gates, having one side of his face made up with simulated buckshot wounds after the Harry Whittington shooting, or trying to break a record (parody of David Blaine) of staying underwater for only twenty seconds.

premiere in June 2007]]

On April 12, 2007, he appeared again, this time wearing a Sanjaya Malakar wig. His most recent appearance was on June 25, 2007 when he appeared wearing a mini-turbine strapped to his head to accompany a joke about his own fictional documentary titled An Unappealing Hunch (a wordplay of An Inconvenient Truth). Willis also appeared on Japanese Subaru Legacy television commercials. Tying in with this, Subaru did a limited run of Legacys, badged "Subaru Legacy Touring Bruce", in honor of Willis.

Willis has appeared in four films with Samuel L. Jackson (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Unbreakable) and both actors were slated to work together in Black Water Transit, before dropping out. Willis also worked with his eldest daughter, Rumer, in the 2005 film Hostage. In 2007, he appeared in the thriller Perfect Stranger, opposite Halle Berry, the crime/drama film Alpha Dog, opposite Sharon Stone, and marked his return to the role of John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard. Recently he appeared in the films What Just Happened and Surrogates, based on the comic book of the same name.

Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers in director Oliver Stone's Pinkville, a drama about the investigation of the 1968 My Lai Massacre. However, due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, the film was cancelled.

Willis appeared on the 2008 Blues Traveler album North Hollywood Shootout, giving a spoken word performance over an instrumental blues-rock jam on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)". In early 2009, he appeared in an advertising campaign to publicize the insurance company Norwich Union's change of name to Aviva.

He also appeared in the music video for the song "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin. The song is from his 2009 science fiction film Surrogates.

Willis starred with Tracy Morgan in the comedy Cop Out, directed by Kevin Smith and about two police detectives investigating the theft of a baseball card. The film was released in February 2010.

Willis appeared in the music video for the song "Stylo" by Gorillaz.

Also in 2010, he appeared in a cameo with former Planet Hollywood co-owners and '80s action stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film The Expendables. Bruce Willis played the role of "Mr. Church". This was the first time these three legendary action stars appeared on screen together. Although the scene featuring the three was short, it was one of the most highly anticipated scenes in the film. The trio filmed their scene in an empty church on October 24, 2009.

His most recent project was Red, an adaptation of the comic book mini-series of the same name, in which he portrayed Frank Moses. The film was released on October 15, 2010.

Upcoming films

Willis will star in the movie adaptation of the video game .

On May 5, 2010 it was announced that Die Hard 5 would be made and that Willis was on board to play his most famous role of John McClane for a fifth time.

Sylvester Stallone revealed that he is talking to Willis about returning for The Expendables sequel. Stallone wants to expand Willis' role and that he wants Willis to play the villain in the next Expendables. They have talked about Willis' schedule and possible actors that could join the sequel.

Personal life

Marriages and family

At the premiere for the film Stakeout, Willis met actress Demi Moore. Willis married Moore on November 21, 1987 and had three daughters: Rumer Willis (b. August 16, 1988), Scout LaRue Willis (b. July 20, 1991) and Tallulah Belle Willis (b. February 3, 1994) before the couple divorced on October 18, 2000. The couple gave no public reason for their breakup. Regarding the divorce, Willis stated, "I felt I had failed as a father and a husband by not being able to make it work." He credited actor Will Smith for helping him cope with the situation. guests included his three daughters, Moore, and Kutcher. The ceremony was not legally binding, so the couple wed again in a civil ceremony in Beverly Hills six days later. Willis has expressed interest in having more children. but no longer practices, after clarifying in a July 1998 interview with George magazine:

}}

Business activities

Willis owns property in Los Angeles, rents an apartment in the Trump Tower in New York City, and Trump Place, as well as a home in Malibu, California, a ranch in Montana, a beach home on Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, and multiple properties in Sun Valley, Idaho. He also owns several small businesses in Hailey, Idaho, including The Mint Bar and The Liberty Theater and is a co-founder of Planet Hollywood, with actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. In 2009 Willis signed a contract to become the international face of Belvedere SA's Sobieski vodka in exchange for 3.3% ownership in the company.

Other activities

on June 28, 2006]]

Willis, an avid New Jersey Nets fan, made controversial comments on April 29, 2007 during a live broadcast of a Nets home playoff game on TSN by saying a catch phrase from his Die Hard films, "Yippee-Ki-Yay, Motherfucker", at the end of the interview. Reacting to the backlash, he later blamed his actions on jet lag, stating: "Sometimes I overestimate my ability to function under duress with less than enough sleep". The responses included detailed information on Live Free or Die Hard, which was yet to be released; the theme of the Die Hard film series, direct criticisms of other film crews and casts, and many film trivia answers. Many people were skeptical that "Walter_B" was indeed Willis, but on May 9, Willis revealed his identity on a video chat session (using iChat).

Willis' acting role models are Gary Cooper, Robert De Niro, Steve McQueen, and John Wayne.

Political views

In 1988, he and Moore actively campaigned for Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis's Presidential bid. Four years later, he supported President George H.W. Bush for reelection and he was a vocal critic of Bill Clinton. However, in 1996, he declined to endorse Clinton's Republican opponent Bob Dole, because Dole had criticized Moore for her role in the film Striptease. Willis was an invited speaker at the 2000 Republican National Convention, and actively supported George W. Bush that year. He did not make any contributions or public endorsements in the 2008 presidential campaign. In several June 2007 interviews, he declared that he still maintains some Republican ideologies. In several interviews Willis has said that he supports large salaries for teachers and police officers, and says that he is disappointed in the United States' foster care and treatment of Native Americans. Willis also stated that he is a big supporter of gun rights:

}}

Willis has criticized the religious right and its influence on the Republican party. In February 2006, Willis appeared in Manhattan to talk about 16 Blocks with reporters. One reporter attempted to ask Willis about his opinion on current events, but was interrupted by Willis in mid-sentence:

}}

Willis's name was in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times on August 17, 2006, that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Military pursuits

in July 2002]]

Throughout his film career, Willis has depicted several military characters in films such as The Siege, Hart's War, Tears of the Sun, and Grindhouse. Growing up in a military family, Willis has publicly sold Girl Scout cookies for the United States armed forces. In 2002, Willis's youngest daughter, Tallulah, suggested that he purchase Girl Scout cookies to send to troops. Willis purchased 12,000 boxes of cookies, and they were distributed to sailors aboard USS John F. Kennedy and other troops stationed throughout the Middle East at the time. In 2003, Willis visited Iraq as part of the USO tour, singing to the troops with his band, The Accelerators. Willis considered joining the military to help fight the second Iraq war, but was deterred by his age. It was believed he offered US$1 million to any non combatant who turns in terrorist leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; in the June 2007 issue of Vanity Fair, however, he clarified that the statement was made hypothetically and not meant to be taken literally. Willis has also criticized the media for its coverage of the war, complaining that the press were more likely to focus on the negative aspects of the war:

}}

Willis stated in 2005 that he wanted to "make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy." The film would follow members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, who spent considerable time in Mosul and were decorated heavily for it. The film is to be based on the writings of blogger Michael Yon, a former United States Army Special Forces soldier who was embedded with Deuce Four and sent regular dispatches about their activities. Willis described the plot of the film as "these guys who do what they are asked for very little money to defend and fight for what they consider to be freedom."

Cultural references

In 1996, Roger Director, a writer and producer from Moonlighting wrote a roman à clef on Willis titled A Place to Fall. Cybill Shepherd wrote in her 2000 autobiography, Cybill Disobedience, that Willis was angry at Director, because the character was written as a "neurotic, petulant actor."

In 1998, Willis participated in Apocalypse, a PlayStation video game. The game was originally announced to feature Willis as a sidekick, not as the main character. The company reworked the game using Willis's likeness and voice and changed the game to use him as the main character. |- | 2012 | Looper | |pre-production |}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1984 | Miami Vice | Tony Amato | Episode: "No Exit" |- | 1985 | | Peter Jay Novins | Episode: "Shatterday" |- | 1985–1989 | Moonlighting | David Addison Jr. | 67 episodes |- | 1996–1997 | Bruno the Kid | Bruno the Kid | Voice |- | 1997 | Mad About You | Amnesia patient | Episode: "The Birth Part 2" |- | 1999 | Ally McBeal | Dr. Nickle | Episode: "Love Unlimited" |- | 2000 | Friends | Paul Stevens | Three episodes |- | 2002 | True West | Lee | Television movie |- | 2005 || That '70s Show | Vic | Episode: "Misfire" |}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Producer |- ! Year ! Title ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1988 | Sunset | Co-executive producer |- | 2002 | | Producer |- | 2007 | | Executive producer |}

Discography

Solo albums The Return of Bruno, 1987, Motown, If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, 1989, Motown / Pgd, . Classic Bruce Willis: The Universal Masters Collection, 2001, Polygram Int'l, .

Compilations / Guest appearances

Moonlighting soundtrack, 1986; track "Good Lovin'"

Hudson Hawk soundtrack, 1991; tracks "Swinging on a Star" and "Side by Side", both duets with Danny Aiello

Rugrats Go Wild soundtrack, 2003; "Big Bad Cat" with Chrissie Hynde and "Lust for Life"

Blues Traveler, North Hollywood Shootout, 2008; track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)"

Awards and honors

Willis has won a variety of awards and has received various honors throughout his career in television and film.

For his work on the television show Moonlighting he won an Emmy ("Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series") and a Golden Globe ("Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series — Comedy/Musical") plus received additional nominations for the show.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in the film In Country

Maxim magazine had named his sex scenes in Color of Night (1994) as the best sex scenes ever in film history. In the 1999 drama/thriller film, The Sixth Sense, Willis won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award ("Favorite Actor — Suspense") and the People's Choice Award ("Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama"). He was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actor and received two nominations for the MTV Movie Awards for "Best Male Performance" and "Best On-Screen Duo". Also in 2002, Willis was appointed as national spokesman for Children in Foster Care by President George W. Bush. Willis wrote online: "I saw Foster Care as a way for me to serve my country in a system by which shining a little bit of light could benefit a great deal by helping kids who were literally wards of the government." In April 2006, he was honored by French government for his contributions to the film industry. Willis was named "Officier Dans L'ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres" (Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters) in a ceremony in Paris. The French Prime Minister stated "This is France's way of paying tribute to an actor who epitomizes the strength of American cinema, the power of the emotions that he invites us to share on the world's screens and the sturdy personalities of his legendary characters." On October 16, 2006, Willis was honored with a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard and it was the 2,321st star awarded in its history. Willis, reacting to his reception of the star, stated "I used to come down here and look at these stars and I could never quite figure out what you were supposed to do to get one...time has passed and now here I am doing this, and I'm still excited. I'm still excited to be an actor."

References

External links

BruceWillis.com (Way Back Machine) Official website – shutdown since Thanksgiving 2005. Link refers to the cached homepages of the site at Archive.org.

Bruce Willis interview on The Tavis Smiley Show

Category:1955 births Category:Actors from Idaho Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:American actors of German descent Category:American bloggers Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American video game actors Category:American voice actors Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Military brats Category:Montclair State University alumni Category:People from Salem County, New Jersey Category:People from the District of Birkenfeld