During an interview with Variety Fair, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt offered a retrospective on his career and shared a touching story about one of his past co-stars. Recalling his time working with Bruce Willis during the action movie Looper, Gordon-Levitt revealed the sweet compliment he received from the Die Hard star.
Directed by Rian Johnson, Looper tells the story of a time-travelling assassin who ends up confronting a version of himself. Gordon-Levitt and Willis play the same character, which, needless to say, was a challenge as the two look nothing alike. Still, according to Gordon-Levitt, he committed to the part of Willis’s younger self and was even complimented by the star for his acting endeavours.
“There was another scene later in the movie where we were yelling at each other. I don’t know if Bruce did this on purpose or if he did it unintentionally, but it was kind of the highest compliment he could pay me,” the actor explained. “It was right after they said ‘cut,’ he was turning away and walking back to his mark. He didn’t even say it to me; he just kind of said to himself, ‘Sounds like me.'”
“And I just turned to myself and went, ‘Fucking yes!'” he continued. “I think knowing him, that was really his ultra-generous way of paying me a compliment, but it was very kind to do it in that way.”
Gordon-Levitt’s sweet story with Bruce Willis comes shortly after the legendary star announced his retirement following his aphasia diagnosis. Hearing the touching moment between the two now is somewhat bittersweet as it is a reminder that they will unlikely collaborate in front of the camera again.
Still, following the 2012 movie Looper, Gordon-Levitt has been keeping busy. The actor is set to appear in the live-action Disney movie Pinocchio as the voice of Jiminy Cricket, and was recently cast in the upcoming Jonny Carson biopic TV series.