20 Things You Didn't Know About Die Hard

By Jack Pooley / December 18, 2023

20. Bruce Willis' $5 Million Salary Was Hugely Controversial In Hollywood

Bruce Willis was paid an unprecedented $5 million - of the film's $28 million budget - to play protagonist John McClane, as was approved by none other than Fox's President himself, Rupert Murdoch.

The announcement sent shockwaves through Hollywood, prompting speculation that such an (at the time) exorbitant sum would raise the ceiling on the fees actors could command for their blockbuster movie roles.

Given that Willis was hardly a household name at the time, especially in the film world, it was particularly worrying for studios.

MGM Pictures chairman Alan Ladd Jr. even said at the time that it "throws the business out of whack," even if the gamble of Willis' casting ultimately paid for itself many times over.