Bruce Willis Fired His Agent Over This $231M Classic With 9 Oscars – And He Was Right
Bruce Willis has had many hits in his career, but there was one that was never meant to be. Here's which movie angered the actor so much that he fired his agent.
In Hollywood, there are many cases of actors turning down projects that later became cult classics. For example, Matt Damon turned down a role in Avatar.
Bruce Willis, a legend of 1990s and 2000s cinema, also has such a regret: he rejected a film that went on to win a bunch of Oscars and became a box office hit. We're talking about The English Patient, a film Willis fired his agent over.
Bruce Willis Regretted Turning Down a Role in 'The English Patient'
In the 90s, Willis was at the peak of his popularity thanks to hits like Die Hard and The Fifth Element. When he was offered the role of Caravaggio in Anthony Minghella's The English Patient, he hesitated.
His agent's opinion made the decision – he dissuaded Willis from working with Minghella, who had previously directed Truly, Madly, Deeply and Mr. Wonderful.
Ultimately, Willem Dafoe got the role, the movie won nine Oscars, including Best Picture, and went on to become a box office hit earning $231 million against a $35 million budget. Such a loss made Bruce Willis fire his agent.
'The English Patient' Didn't Deserve an Oscar for Best Picture
Although The English Patient was one of Bruce Willis's greatest regrets, it is now one of the first movies that comes to mind when discussing the unfair distribution of Oscars.
The sweeping yet detached historical romance drama won nine Oscars, while the brilliant Fargo and the excellent Shine won only two and one, respectively.
There were also potential contenders such as Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves and Trainspotting. Both are now held in much higher regard by critics and viewers than The English Patient.
What Is 'The English Patient' About?
It is the end of World War II. Nurse Hana cares for the sick in Italy and experiences the loss of loved ones. One day, a badly burned pilot is brought from Africa to Europe. He has very little time left to live.
Hana becomes the nurse of an English patient in an abandoned monastery. Day after day, the man reminisces about his research in the desert and a sad love story.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The English Patient'?
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The English Patient has 86% from critics and 83% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.4/10.
Where to Watch 'The English Patient'?
The English Patient is available to stream on HBO Max, and you can also buy or rent the movie on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
