Bruce Willis' co-star hails his 'incredible generosity'
Laurie Metcalf worked with the actor in 2015, as they starred in a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Misery in New York, and opened up about her memories of the time amid Bruce’s ongoing battle with aphasia and dementia.
Bruce Willis has been hailed as an “incredibly generous man” by a former co-star, who was left stunned by one of his kind gestures.
Laurie Metcalf worked with the actor in 2015, as they starred in a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Misery in New York, and opened up about her memories of the time amid Bruce’s ongoing battle with aphasia and dementia.
In a chat on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Laurie said that the actor has always been famous for his generosity - which he demonstrated when her son Will came to visit New York.
She recalled that she’d told Bruce that her oldest child was planning to come and see her, and asked him for recommendations on where to take him.
To which the now 71-year-old told Laurie to take him to Nobu, “especially if you like sushi”.
The next day, Laurie told Bruce that she had booked a table at Nobu, and that she and son Will were “very excited” about their impending meal.
She said: “And then the next day, maybe after the second show, Will and I went - ordered a ton of stuff - were seated in an extremely nice booth there, as I remember.
“And of course I went to pay, and afterwards was told, ‘Oh, I'm sorry, this has been taken care of by Mr. Willis.’”
Laurie went on to say that Bruce “filled every seat in the house” during their run of Misery at the Broadhurst Theater.
She continued: “It was sold out because everybody came to see him. And you know, they knew the title Misery from the movie.
“It was a weird hybrid between being a book and then a movie, and now a play. So it had some of the best and worst of everything - all jammed together - but they were just screaming his name in the curtain call.
“Everybody was so happy to be in his presence.”
Bruce’s health issues were first revealed in a statement released in March 2022, as it was announced he was taking a step back from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia.
A further statement in February 2023 stated that the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
Bruce’s wife Emma Heming appeared on the TODAY show earlier this week, and was asked by host Savannah Guthrie how she - and he - were doing.
She replied: “You know, we're doing well. My husband is supported and loved and we're doing the best we can under the circumstances”.
