When it comes to guest appearances, Bruce Willis in Friends was one of the most surprising yet perfect ones. While a lot of notable actors ranging from Brad Pitt to Robin Williams have starred in the TV show that needs no introduction, it was Willis who somehow nailed his small role and crept into people’s hearts.
Even though a guest star receives lower pay compared to a regular actor in a show, they still do get paid as per their time and role. However, Bruce Willis wasn’t. The star known for hits like Die Hard and Pulp Fiction didn’t take anything from his guest appearance on Friends. But why is that?
Bruce Willis’ Unique And Surprising Friends Appearance
In the sixth season of Friends, Bruce Willis played Paul Stevens, the single father of a woman called Elizabeth who is dating Ross, her former teacher. Stevens isn’t exactly thrilled to know that his daughter, who he raised alone, is now dating a much older professor of hers. But he quickly finds himself at a crossroads when he falls for Rachel upon meeting the gang.
Then, Stevens finds himself in a dilemma because now he has to be in Ross’ good books to date Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel. Willis’ guest appearance lasted for only three episodes of Friends. However, because of the combination of his stardom and the show’s popularity, it made a big impact on the public at the time.
The actor even bagged an Emmy for the Best Guest Actor in a Comedy category for his appearance. Willis already was a star by the time he made his guest appearance. But it’s undeniable that the little role catapulted him higher into the world of Hollywood. But he didn’t take any money for his guest role. It’s all because he lost a bet to Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing on Friends.
Why Didn’t Bruce Willis Take Anything For His Friends Appearance?
In 1999, Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry worked on a film called The Whole Nine Yards. Perry thought the film was going to be a hit, but Willis didn’t feel the optimism of his co-star. So to make things interesting, the two made a bet. If the film opened at number one at the box office, then Willis will have to make a guest appearance on Friends for free.
The Whole Nine Yards ended up spending its first three weeks at the number one position when it was released in February 2000. So as promised to Perry, Willis appeared in Friends and didn’t take any money home for his role. The actor in fact donated his entire salary to charity. He confirmed this incident during an interview with Wired. Today, Friends is a part of the pop culture landscape and Willis’ little role is still beloved.
Friends is streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Wired
