Haley Joel Osment, who famously starred with Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense, pays tribute to this “true legend” after he announces his retirement.
Earlier this week, Bruce Willis’ daughter Rumer shared a statement announcing that her father would be “stepping away” from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia, which impacts a person’s ability to speak and understand language.
Since then, many of the people Willis has worked with over the years have been paying tribute to the actor, and he’s worked with a lot of people. We’re talking a guy who’s been in great movies from Die Hard to Pulp Fiction to The Fifth Element and many, many more.
People of a certain age may remember him best from 1999’s The Sixth Sense, where he played a child psychiatrist who helps a troubled young boy played by Haley Joel Osment. Now, Osment has shared his own statement honoring Willis, who he calls a “true legend”:
"It’s been difficult to find the right words for someone I’ve always looked up to—first on the big screen, and then by some wild stroke of luck, in person. He’s a true legend who has enriched all of our lives with a singular career that spans nearly half a century. I am so grateful for what I got to witness firsthand, and for the enormous body of work he built for us to enjoy for years and years to come. I just wanted to express the respect and deep admiration I have for Bruce and his family as they move forward with the courage and high spirits that have always defined them."
According to The A.V. Club, there was a period where some in Hollywood were talking about how difficult Willis was to work with, but Osment never had anything but nice things to say about him.
Our sympathies go out to Willis and his family. It’ll be a shame to lose such an iconic talent, but he still has a few movies that are yet to come out, including Vendetta and White Elephant.
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