Back in 1994, beloved Hollywood actors John Travolta and Bruce Willis starred in the cult favorite film ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Directed by Quentin Tarantino, the film is beloved by Willis, Travolta, and Tarantino fans alike. The neo-noir black comedy crime film was typical Tarantino with its level of action and fighting scenes as it told multiple storylines of characters involved in Los Angeles crime. With a plethora of pop-culture touchstones, the film was well-received by critics and was even dubbed one of the most influential films of the 1990s.
Travolta and Willis have also co-starred in 1989’s ‘Look Who’s Talking’ and 1990’s ‘Look Who’s Talking Too.’ However, both actors are probably more famous for films they did without one another. Travolta is beloved for his role as high school heartthrob ‘Danny’ in ‘Grease,’ while Willis is known for his role as an NYPD police officer in ‘Die Hard.’
In total, Willis has 12 awards related to his acting, as well as his comedy, including Golden Globes, Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, and a People’s Choice award. Travolta has a total of 15 awards related to movies and TV, as well as a music award, the Juno Award for International Single of the Year in 1979.
Needless to say, these two actors are seasoned actors themselves alone but a fan favorite when paired together. However, in March of 2022, Willis announced that he would no longer be acting due to health troubles. His announcement left the world sad and reminiscent of his successful acting career. Among those who showed support was none other than his lifelong friend, Travolta.
John Travolta, Bruce Willis (1994), (Pool ARNAL/PICOT/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images)
Willis has been a pivotal figure in the acting world for more than 40 years, which is why fans and loved ones were left heartbroken when they heard the news that he was retiring from the field.
On Mar. 30, 2022, the world was left heartbroken at the announcement of Willis’ retirement. Both his wife Emma Heming Willis and ex-wife Demi Moore posted the same picture and caption on their respective Instagram accounts, explaining that Willis was diagnosed with aphasia and therefore needed to take a step away from acting.
According to John Hopkins, aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage in a specific area of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension. This disorder leaves a person unable to communicate with others effectively and can sometimes even cause the afflicted to no longer understand the speech of others correctly.
According to Page Six, Willis was having cognitive issues prior to his family stepping in “to take care of him.” He struggled to remember his lines and was actually unable to do so. A source explained, “He was having cognitive problems, they all knew Bruce was having problems. Everybody knew, the cast and crew. His family has stepped in, they moved in to take care of him.”
Willis was using earpieces so he could have his lines fed to him while on set, according to Page Six.
Besides his family, other stars were shocked and saddened by the actors’ retirement too. Travolta took to his personal Instagram account to pay tribute to his friend with a special post.
John Travolta, Bruce Willis (2007), (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc/Getty Images)
In March of 2022, Travolta posted and wrote, “Bruce and I became good friends when we shared 2 of our biggest hits together, Pulp Fiction and Look Who’s Talking.
Years later he said to me, “John, I just want you to know that when something good happens to you, I feel like it’s happening to me.” That’s how generous a soul he is. I love you Bruce.”
The touching tribute with two throwback photos landed thousands of likes from users and over 7,000 comments. Some of the comments from Instagram users said, “I first saw him in “Moonlighting” and I was struck. One of the few actors like yourself who has endured. I wish him and his families well.”
Another kind Instagram user added to the tribute saying, “Thank you Bruce Willis. I’ve watched you since I was 12-years-old now 39, I’m a big fan from “Die Hard” to “Pulp Fiction” from “Last Man Standing” to “Unbreakable” and “Armageddon” the greatest ever.”
The comments go on and on with fans and supporters’ love for Willis as well as the dynamic duo together. While Willis may not have any new projects in the works, he does have a few that have been completed or are in the post-production stages, meaning fans of the actor will still get new material in the upcoming year or so. According to IMDB, some of these upcoming titles include “Vendetta,” “Fortress: Sniper’s Eye” and “Wire Room.” Willis has been a part of over 120 productions.
Are you sad about Bruce Willis’s retirement after decades in the film industry? If you love Bruce Willis— pass this on to other fans who love him too!
