Bruce Willis steps away from acting after years of struggle; Chris Rock tells cheering fans that he’s “still processing” but to expect some jokes soon; and did Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars? All in today’s Movie News Rundown, which you can sign up for here.
Bruce Willis: Praise and love for Bruce Willis have poured in since the actor’s family announced Wednesday that he is “stepping away” from acting due to aphasia, a disorder that affects one’s cognitive functions.
Years of Struggle: Hours after the announcement from Willis’ family, the Los Angeles Times released a deep-dive story detailing years of difficulty for Willis and his team as he tried to do his job on film sets. It recounts how his team would use an earpiece to feed him lines, for example, and describes an incident in which he is alleged to have fired a gun (loaded with blanks) at the wrong time. One of the two reporters who wrote the story tweeted that they had “over 20 sources.”
May I Speculate: The story has clearly been in the works for a while, and I suspect that the decision to step away was accelerated by awareness of its imminent publication.
Everyone Else’s Speculation: The online responses to the article are interesting, and there’s a complex debate about whether it should have been written. Some see it as a violation of Willis’ privacy, while others contend that the article’s purpose was to ensure Willis isn’t being exploited. There’s also a legitimate discussion here about on-set safety for Willis and others, especially when guns are involved.
Well Wishes: What everyone agrees on is wishing Willis the best. “All my love and respect to my big brother Bruce Willis,” wrote The Sixth Sense writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. “I know his wonderful family is surrounding him with support and strength. He will always be that hero on that poster on my wall as kid.” Kevin Smith, who directed Willis in Cop Out, added: “He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him.” Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who has had aphasia since surviving a shooting in 2011, wrote: “I’m thinking of Bruce Willis and his family today. Aphasia makes it hard for me to find the right words. It can be lonely and isolating, but @FriendsAphasia is trying to change that. To everyone living with aphasia, I’m here for you. We got this.”
Great Read: IndieWire has this exclusive Oscar journal from Pedro Almodovar that is every bit as exhuberantly charming and big-hearted as his films. He talks about run-ins with Zendaya and Denis Villeneuve Paul Thomas Anderson Al Pacino, to whom he said: “You, Al Pacino. Me, Al Modovar.” His humane values shine through. It’s really a lovely read.
Will Smith: To everyone who says the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences should have kicked Will Smith out of the Oscars for slapping Chris Rock, the Academy would like to say, Yeah, we thought of that too. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently,” the Academy said in a statement Wednesday, reported by Variety and others. The statement also said the Academy will hold a board meeting on April 18 where it may take disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion.
Update: After this Rundown originally posted, Variety released a follow-up report saying there are conflicting accounts of whether Smith was formally asked to leave. Those accounts are, of course, anonymous, so it’s impossible to gauge their veracity.
Meanwhile, in Boston: Chris Rock received a roughly two-minute standing ovation in his first standup set since The Slap. He told the cheering audience at the Wilburn Theatre, “You all got me misty and shit,” then went on to explain that he was “still processing” what happened but would definitely talk about it at some point. “So at some point I’ll talk about that shit. And it’ll be serious, and it’ll be funny,” Rock told the crowd, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
But What Did Al Modovar Think? He refused to let The Slap overshadow his Oscars, and rightly focused on wins that delighted him — Drive My Car! Summer of Soul! — instead of the negativity. But he eventually shares: “What I saw and heard produced a feeling of absolute rejection in me. Not only during the episode, but afterward, too, in the acceptance speech — a speech that seemed more like that of a cult leader. You don’t defend or protect the family with your fists, and no, the devil doesn’t take advantage of key moments to do his work.”
Bonfire of the Vanities: A lot of people like to knock Brian De Palma’s 1990 bomb Bonfire of the Vanities, but I love Bruce Willis in it. He plays a sleazy tabloid reporter who comes to drunkenly own the story of a lifetime, about a Wall Street master of the universe (a miscast Tom Hanks) accused in a Bronx hit-and-run. The movie has some problems, sure, but Willis is one of its highlights.
Main image: Boston’s Wilbur Theater, where Chris Rock performed Wednesday. Photo by World’s Best Brother Ted Molloy.
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