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Biography for Bruce Willis

Walter Bruce Willis (born Mar. 19, 1955 (55 years ago)), better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor and producer. His career began in television in the 1980 (30 years ago) and has continued both in television and movie since. One of his more popular roles was that of John McClane in the Die Hard series, which were critical and financial successes. Willis has released several albums and has appeared in several television shows. He has also appeared in over sixty films, including Pulp Fiction, Sin City, 12 Monkeys, Armageddon, and The Sixth Sense.

Motion pictures (wallpaper) featuring Willis have grossed US$2.55 to US$3.05 billion at North American box offices, making him the seventh highest-grossing actor in a leading role, and ninth highest including supporting roles. Willis was married to actress Demi Moore and they had three daughters, before their divorce in 2000 (10 years ago) after thirteen years of marriage. He is a two-time Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe Award-winning, and four-time Saturn Award-nominated actor.

Early life

Willis was born in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany, the son of a Kassel-born German, Marlene, who worked in a bank, and David Willis, an American soldier. Willis was the eldest of four children: he has a sister Florence and a brother David. His brother Robert died of pancreatic cancer in 2001 (9 years ago), aged 42. After being discharged from the military in 1957 (53 years ago), Willis' father took his family back to Penns Grove, New Jersey, where he worked as a welder and factory worker. His parents separated in 1972 (38 years ago), while Willis was in his teens. Willis attended Penns Grove High School in his hometown, where he encountered issues with a stutter. He used to be hatefully nicknamed Buck-Buck by his schoolmates. Finding it easy to express himself on stage and losing his stutter in the process, Willis began performing on stage and his high school activities were marked by such things as the drama club and student council president.

After high school, Willis took a job as a security guard and he also transported work crews at the DuPont Chambers Works factory in Deepwater, New Jersey. He quit after a colleague was killed on the job, and became a regular at several bars. Willis learned to play the harmonica.

After a stint as a private investigator (a role he would play in the television series Moonlighting as well as in the 1991 (19 years ago) film, The Last Boy Scout), Willis returned to acting. He enrolled in the drama program at Montclair State University, where he was cast in the class production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Willis left school in his junior year and moved to New York City.

Willis returned to the bar scene, only this time for a part-time job at the West Bank Cafe in New York City's Manhattan Plaza. After multiple auditions, Willis made his theater debut in the off-Broadway production of Heaven and Earth. He gained more experience and exposure in Fool for Love, and in a Levi's commercial.

Personal life

Marriages and family

At the premiere for the movie Stakeout, Willis met actress Demi Moore, who was dating actor Emilio Estevez at the time. Willis married Moore on Nov. 21, 1987 (23 years ago) and had three daughters: Rumer Willis (b. 16 Aug. 1988 (22 years ago)), Scout LaRue Willis (b. 20 Jul. 1991 (19 years ago)) and Tallulah Belle Willis (b. 3 Feb. 1994 (16 years ago)) before the couple divorced on Oct. 18, 2000 (10 years ago). The couple gave no public reason for their breakup. Willis stated that his divorce made him feel that "I felt I had failed as a father and a husband by not being able to make it work" and credited actor Will Smith (4 walls) for helping him cope with the situation. After their breakup, rumors persisted that the couple planned to re-marry, until Moore married the actor Ashton Kutcher (5 walls), fifteen years her junior. Willis has maintained a close relationship with both Moore and Kutcher, even attending their wedding. Willis and Moore currently share custody of their daughters.

Since the divorce he has dated models Maria Bravo Rosado and Emily Sandberg; he was engaged to Brooke Burns until they broke up in 2004 (6 years ago) after ten months together. He married Emma Heming in Turks and Caicos on Mar. 21, 2009; guests included his three daughters, Moore, and Kutcher. The ceremony was not legally binding, so the couple wed again in a civil ceremony in Beverly Hills six days later. Willis has expressed interest in having more children.

Religion

Bruce Willis was, at one point, Lutheran (specifically Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod); but no longer practices, after clarifying in a Jul. 1998 (12 years ago) interview with George magazine:

“ Organized religions in general, in my opinion, are dying forms", he says. "They were all very important when we didn't know why the sun moved, why weather changed, why hurricanes occurred, or volcanoes happened", he continues. "Modern religion is the end trail of modern mythology. But there are people who interpret the Bible literally. Literally! I choose not to believe that's the way. And that's what makes America cool, you know? ”

Business interests

Willis owns property in Los Angeles, rents an apartment in the Trump Tower in New York City, and 220 Riverside Boulevard at Trump Place, as well as a home in Malibu, California, a ranch in Montana, a beach home on Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, and multiple properties in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Willis owns his own motion picture (wallpaper) production company called Cheyenne Enterprises, which he started with his business partner Arnold Rifkin in 2000 (10 years ago). He also owns several small businesses in Hailey, Idaho including The Mint Bar and The Liberty Theater and is a co-founder of Planet Hollywood, along with actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.

Other interests

Willis, an avid New Jersey Nets fan, made controversial comments on Apr. 29, 2007 (3 years ago) during a live broadcast of a Nets home playoff game on TSN by saying a catch phrase from his Die Hard films, "Yipee-ki-aye-ay motherfucker", at the end of the interview. Reacting to the backlash, he later blamed his actions on jet lag, stating: "Sometimes I overestimate my ability to function under duress with less than enough sleep".

On May 5, 2007 (3 years ago), someone using the screen name "Walter_B" started posting detailed responses onto Ain't it Cool News, where people were discussing the fact that Live Free or Die Hard received a PG-13 rating, instead of an R rating like the earlier three Die Hard films. The responses included detailed information on Live Free or Die Hard, which was yet to be released; the theme of the Die Hard movie series, direct criticisms of other movie crews and casts, and many movie trivia answers. Many people were skeptical that "Walter_B" was indeed Willis, but on May 9, Willis revealed his identity on a video chat session (using iChat).

Political views

In 1988 (22 years ago), he and Moore actively campaigned for Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis's Presidential bid. Four years later, he supported President George H.W. Bush for reelection and he was a vocal critic of Bill Clinton. However, in 1996 (14 years ago), he declined to endorse Clinton's Republican opponent Bob Dole, because Dole had criticized Moore for her role in the movie Striptease. Willis was an invited speaker at the 2000 (10 years ago) Republican National Convention, and actively supported George W. Bush that year. He did not make any contributions or public endorsements in the 2008 (2 years ago) Presidential campaign. In several Jun. 2007 (3 years ago) interviews, he declared that he still maintains some Republican ideologies, but is currently an independent.

In 2006 (4 years ago), he proposed that the United States should invade Colombia, in order to end the drug trafficking. In several interviews Willis has said that he supports large salaries for teachers and police officers, and says that he is disappointed in the United States' foster care and treatment of Native Americans. Willis also stated that he is a big supporter of gun rights:

"Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys." Even a pacifist, he insists, would get violent if someone were trying to kill him. "You would fight for your life."

Willis has criticized the religious right and its influence on the Republican party. In Feb. 2006 (4 years ago), Willis appeared in Manhattan to talk about 16 Blocks with reporters. One reporter attempted to ask Willis about his opinion on current events, but was interrupted by Willis in mid-sentence:

“ I'm sick of answering this fucking question. I'm a Republican only as far as I want a smaller government, I want less government intrusion. I want them to stop shitting on my money and your money and tax dollars that we give 50 percent of... every year. I want them to be fiscally responsible and I want these goddamn lobbyists out of Washington. Do that and I'll say I'm a Republican... I hate the government, OK? I'm apolitical. Write that down. I'm not a Republican. ”

Military interests

Willis meeting members of the U.S. Navy on Jul. 25, 2002 (8 years ago).Throughout his movie career, Willis has depicted several military characters in movies such as The Siege, Hart's War, Tears of the Sun, and Grindhouse. Growing up in a military family, Willis has publicly sold Girl Scout cookies for the United States armed forces. In 2002 (8 years ago), Willis' youngest daughter, Tallulah, suggested that he purchase Girl Scout cookies to send to troops. Willis purchased 12,000 boxes of cookies, and they were distributed to sailors aboard USS John F. Kennedy and other troops stationed throughout the Middle East at the time. In 2003 (7 years ago), Willis visited Iraq as part of the USO tour, singing to the troops with his band, The Accelerators. Willis considered joining the military to help fight the second Iraq war, but was deterred by his age. It was believed he offered US$1 million to any civilian who turns in terrorist leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; in the Jun. 2007 (3 years ago) issue of Vanity Fair, however, he clarified that the statement was made hypothetically and not meant to be taken literally. Willis has also criticized the media for its coverage of the war, complaining that the press were more likely to focus on the negative aspects of the war:

“ I went to Iraq because what I saw when I was over there was soldiers — young kids for the most part — helping people in Iraq; helping getting the power turned back on, helping get hospitals open, helping get the water turned back on and you don't hear any of that on the news. You hear, 'X number of people were killed today,' which I think does a huge disservice. It's like spitting on these young men and women who are over there fighting to help this country. ”

Willis stated in 2005 (5 years ago) that he wanted to "make a pro-war movie in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy." The movie would follow members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, who spent considerable time in Mosul and were decorated heavily for it. The movie is to be based on the writings of blogger Michael Yon, a former United States Army Special Forces soldier who was embedded with Deuce Four and sent regular dispatches about their activities. Willis described the plot of the movie as "these guys who do what they are asked for very little money to defend and fight for what they consider to be freedom." He has not spoken publicly about his plans for this movie since 2005 (5 years ago).

Career

Willis left New York City and headed to California to audition for several television shows. He auditioned for the role of David Addison Jr. of the television series Moonlighting (1985–89), while competing against 3,000 other actors for the position. The starring role, opposite Cybill Shepherd, helped to establish him as a comedic actor, with the show lasting five seasons. During the height of the show's success, beverage maker Seagram hired Willis as the pitchman for their Golden Wine Cooler products. The advertising campaign paid the rising star between $5–7 million over two years. In spite of that, Willis chose not to renew his contract with the company when he decided to stop drinking alcohol in 1988 (22 years ago). One of his first major movie roles was in the 1987 (23 years ago) Blake Edwards movie Blind Date alongside Kim Basinger and John Laroquette. Edwards would cast him again to play the real-life cowboy actor Tom Mix in Sunset. However, it was his then-unexpected turn in the movie Die Hard that catapulted him to fame. He performed most of his own stunts in the film, and the movie grossed $138,708,852 worldwide. Following his success with Die Hard, he had a supporting role in the drama In Country as Vietnam veteran Emmett Smith and also provided the voice for a talking baby in Look Who's Talking, as well as its sequel Look Who's Talking Too.

In the late-1980s, Willis enjoyed moderate success as a recording artist, recording an album of pop-blues entitled The Return of Bruno, which included the hit single "Respect Yourself", promoted by a Spinal Tap-like rockumentary parody featuring scenes of him performing at famous events including Woodstock. Follow-up recordings were not as successful, though Willis has returned to the recording studio several times. In the early 1990s, Willis' career suffered a moderate slump starring in flops such as The Bonfire of the Vanities, Striking Distance, and a movie he co-wrote entitled Hudson Hawk, among others. He starred in a leading role in the highly sexualized thriller Color of Night (1994, 16 years ago), which was very poorly received by critics, but has become popular on video. However, in 1994 (16 years ago), he had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed Pulp Fiction, which gave a new boost to his career. In 1996 (14 years ago), he was the executive producer of the cartoon Bruno the Kid which featured a CGI representation of himself. He went on to play the lead roles in Twelve Monkeys and The Fifth Element. However, by the end of the 1990s, his career had fallen into another slump with critically panned movies like The Jackal, Mercury Rising, and Breakfast of Champions, saved only by the success of the Michael Bay-directed Armageddon which was the highest grossing movie of 1998 (12 years ago) worldwide. The same year his voice and likeness were featured in the PlayStation video game Apocalypse.

In 1999 (11 years ago), Willis then went on to the starring role in M. Night Shyamalan's film, The Sixth Sense. The movie was both a commercial and critical success and helped to increase interest in his acting career. He won a 2000 (10 years ago) Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on Friends (in which he played the father of Ross Geller's much-younger girlfriend). He was also nominated for a 2001 (9 years ago) American Comedy Award (in the Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series category) for his work on Friends. Willis was originally cast as Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven (2001, 9 years ago) but dropped out to work on recording an album. In Ocean's Twelve (2004, 6 years ago), he makes a cameo appearance as himself. In 2007 (3 years ago), he appeared in the Planet Terror half of the double feature Grindhouse as the villain, a mutant soldier. This marks Willis' second collaboration with director Robert Rodriguez, following Sin City.

Willis at the German premiere of Over the Hedge on Jun. 28, 2006 (4 years ago).Willis has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman several times throughout his career. He filled in for an ill David Letterman on his show Feb. 26, 2003 (7 years ago), when he was supposed to be a guest. On many of his appearances on the show, Willis stages elaborate jokes, such as wearing a day-glo orange suit in honor of the Central Park gates, having one side of his face made up with simulated buckshot wounds after the Harry Whittington shooting, or trying to break a record (parody of David Blaine) of staying underwater for only twenty seconds. On Apr. 12, 2007 (3 years ago), he appeared again, this time wearing a Sanjaya Malakar wig. His most recent appearance was on Jun. 25, 2007 (3 years ago) when he appeared wearing a mini-turbine strapped to his head to accompany a joke about his own fictional documentary entitled An Unappealing Hunch (a wordplay of An Inconvenient Truth). Willis also appeared on Japanese Subaru Legacy television commercials. Tying in with this, Subaru did a limited run of Legacys, badged "Subaru Legacy Touring Bruce", in honor of Willis.

Willis has appeared in four movies with Samuel L. Jackson (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Unbreakable) and both actors were slated to work together in Black Water Transit, before dropping out. Willis also worked alongside his eldest daughter, Rumer, in the 2005 (5 years ago) movie Hostage. In 2007 (3 years ago), he appeared in the thriller Perfect Stranger, opposite Halle Berry (12 walls), the crime/drama movie Alpha Dog, opposite Sharon Stone, and marked his return to the role of John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard. His most recent role was in the movie What Just Happened.

Willis appeared on the 2008 (2 years ago) Blues Traveler album North Hollywood Shootout, giving a spoken word performance over an instrumental blues-rock jam on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)". In early 2009 (last year), he appeared in an advertising campaign to publicize the insurance company Norwich Union's change of name to Aviva.

Upcoming films

Willis' future projects include several movies that will debut between 2009 (last year) and 2010 (this year). Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers in director Oliver Stone's Pinkville, a drama about the investigation of the 1968 (42 years ago) My Lai Massacre. However, due to the 2007 (3 years ago) Writers Guild of America strike, the movie was cancelled and Willis took up the film, The Surrogates, which is based on the comic book of the same name.

Willis will star alongside Tracy Morgan in a comedy with a working title of A Couple of Dicks, directed by Kevin Smith. The movie is about two police detectives investigating the theft of a baseball card. Release is set for Jan. 2010 (this year).

Filmography

• The First Deadly Sin
• The Verdict
• A Guru Comes
• Blind Date
• The Return of Bruno
• Sunset
• Die Hard
• That's Adequate
• In Country
• Look Who's Talking
• Die Hard 2
• Look Who's Talking Too
• The Bonfire of the Vanities
• Mortal Thoughts
• Hudson Hawk
• Billy Bathgate
• The Last Boy Scout
• The Player
• Death Becomes Her
• National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
• Striking Distance
• North
• Color of Night
• Pulp Fiction
• Nobody's Fool
• Die Hard with a Vengeance
• Four Rooms
• Twelve Monkeys
• Last Man Standing
• Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
• The Fifth Element
• The Jackal
• Mercury Rising
• Armageddon
• The Siege
• Franky Goes to Hollywood
• Breakfast of Champions
• The Sixth Sense
• The Story of Us
• The Whole Nine Yards
• Disney's The Kid
• Unbreakable
• Bandits
• Hart's War
• Grand Champion
• Tears of the Sun
• Rugrats Go Wild
• Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
• The Whole Ten Yards
• Ocean's Twelve
• Hostage
• Sin City
• Alpha Dog
• 16 Blocks
• Fast Food Nation
• Lucky Number Slevin
• Over The Hedge
• The Astronaut Farmer
• Perfect Stranger
• Grindhouse
• Nancy Drew
• Live Free or Die Hard
• What Just Happened
• Assassination of a High School President
• Surrogates
• A Couple of Dicks
• The Expendables

TV-shows (series)

• Miami Vice
• The Twilight (54 walls) Zone
• Moonlighting
• Bruno the Kid
• Mad About You
• Ally McBeal
• Friends
• True West
• That '70s Show

Producer

• Sunset
• The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
• The Hip Hop Project

Discography

• Return of Bruno, 1987 (23 years ago), Razor & Tie
• If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, 1989 (21 years ago), Motown / Pgd
• Classic Bruce Willis: The Universal Masters Collection, 2001 (9 years ago), Polygram Int'l

Awards and nominations

• For his work on the television show Moonlighting he won an Emmy ("Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series") and a Golden Globe ("Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series — Comedy/Musical") plus received additional nominations for the show.
• He was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in the movie In Country
• Maxim magazine (55 walls) had named his sex scenes in Color of Night (1994, 16 years ago) as the best sex scenes ever in movie history.
• In the 1999 (11 years ago) drama/thriller film, The Sixth Sense, Willis won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award ("Favorite Actor — Suspense") and the People's Choice Award ("Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama"). He was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actor and received two nominations for the MTV Movie Awards for "Best Male Performance" and "Best On-Screen Duo".
• In Feb. 2002 (8 years ago), Willis was awarded the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. According to the organization, the award is given to performers who give a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment.
• Also in 2002 (8 years ago), Willis was appointed as national spokesman for Children in Foster Care by President George W. Bush. Willis wrote online: "I saw Foster Care as a way for me to serve my country in a system by which shining a little bit of light could benefit a great deal by helping kids who were literally wards of the government."
• In Apr. 2006 (4 years ago), he was honored by French government for his contributions to the movie industry. Willis was named "Officier Dans L'ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres" (Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters) in a ceremony in Paris. The French Prime Minister stated "This is France's way of paying tribute to an actor who epitomizes the strength of American cinema, the power of the emotions that he invites us to share on the world's screens and the sturdy personalities of his legendary characters."
• On Oct. 16, 2006 (4 years ago), Willis was honored with a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard and it was the 2,321st star awarded in its history. Willis, reacting to his reception of the star, stated "I used to come down here and look at these stars and I could never quite figure out what you were supposed to do to get one...time has passed and now here I am doing this, and I'm still excited. I'm still excited to be an actor."

Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Latest news about Bruce Willis

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Jamie Foxx to star in "Kane & Lynch" Latest News on omg! - 3 days ago
Reuters - Jamie Foxx is in negotiations to star opposite Bruce Willis in "Kane&Lynch," a video-game adaptation that veteran stunt coordinator and second unit director Simon Crane is helming.

Gorillaz & Bruce Willis Break Web Record Starpulse Entertainment News - 10 days ago
Bruce Willis has helped Britpop pioneers Gorillaz set a new record - the band's latest music video starring the action hero has become the most successful promo to premiere on YouTube. The "Feel ...

Gorillaz Plastic Beach Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know MTV News - 12 days ago
Here's a little of what you can expect from the latest offering from Damon Albarn and crew.By James Montgomery Gorillaz Photo: EMI Music / Jamie Hewlett Much like Lazarus, Superman and, uh, Sayid from "Lost," Gorillaz are back from the dead with their first new album in nearly five years, a post-apocalyptic parable called Plastic Beach. Of course, not everyone in the band bit the bullet at the end of the promotional cycle for their last album, 2005's massive Demon Days — just guitarist Noodle, who perished at the conclusion of the band's "El Mañana" video (she's since returned in cyborg form), but there was a definite sense that things were winding down in 'Rillaz land, with co-creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett even telling MTV News that the group was "retiring ... we're going to do it hip-hop style, like Jay-Z." But, much like Jigga, that retirement didn't stick, and the proof is Beach which hits stores on Tuesday (March 9). Much like everything the Gorillaz do, it's a sprawling, kitchen-sink affair, with an orchestra's worth of musicians and an army of guest vocalists taking part in things. There's a whole lot to keep track of, which is why we've prepared this cheat sheet — a list of the who's, what's and where's that make the album tick. Humble Beginnings After spending much of 2007 working on Monkey: Journey to the West, a Chinese-style opera that premiered at the Manchester International Festival, Albarn and Hewlett announced plans for a new Gorillaz album, tentatively called Carousel. That eventually morphed into Plastic Beach (Albarn reportedly got the inspiration for the album while sitting on the beach, noticing all the trash in the sand) and recording began in June 2008. In September of last year, Albarn premiered three brand-new tracks — "Electric Shock," "Broken" and "Stylo" — on BBC Radio 1. In December, Gorillaz appeared on the U.K. cover of Wired magazine and in January their official site underwent a face-lift, making it clear that the Plastic Beach era had begun. A Cast Of Hundreds It wouldn't be a Gorillaz production without more than a few co-stars, and Plastic Beach has 'em by the bucketload. First single "Stylo" features vocals by Mos Def and Bobby Womack (not to mention Bruce Willis in the video), and the album features contributions from Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon from the Clash, the Fall's Mark E. Smith, British rappers Bashy and Kano, De La Soul and Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys, to name just a few. There are also musical flourishes provided by Chicago's Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental and Arabic Music too. Return To The Road Gorillaz have performed live in the past — including a sold-out run of shows at Harlem's Apollo Theatre and a Grammy duet with Madonna — but longtime plans of a worldwide holographic tour never materialized. But, this time around, things may be different — the band have already been confirmed as headliners at the 2010 Coachella Festival, and if Beach is a success, the lure of the open road may prove too much to resist. Related Artists Gorillaz

Gorillaz Plastic Beach Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know MTV News - 12 days ago
Here's a little of what you can expect from the latest offering from Damon Albarn and crew.By James Montgomery Gorillaz Photo: EMI Music / Jamie Hewlett Much like Lazarus, Superman and, uh, Sayid from "Lost," Gorillaz are back from the dead with their first new album in nearly five years, a post-apocalyptic parable called Plastic Beach. Of course, not everyone in the band bit the bullet at the end of the promotional cycle for their last album, 2005's massive Demon Days — just guitarist Noodle, who perished at the conclusion of the band's "El Mañana" video (she's since returned in cyborg form), but there was a definite sense that things were winding down in 'Rillaz land, with co-creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett even telling MTV News that the group was "retiring ... we're going to do it hip-hop style, like Jay-Z." But, much like Jigga, that retirement didn't stick, and the proof is Beach which hits stores on Tuesday (March 9). Much like everything the Gorillaz do, it's a sprawling, kitchen-sink affair, with an orchestra's worth of musicians and an army of guest vocalists taking part in things. There's a whole lot to keep track of, which is why we've prepared this cheat sheet — a list of the who's, what's and where's that make the album tick. Humble Beginnings After spending much of 2007 working on Monkey: Journey to the West, a Chinese-style opera that premiered at the Manchester International Festival, Albarn and Hewlett announced plans for a new Gorillaz album, tentatively called Carousel. That eventually morphed into Plastic Beach (Albarn reportedly got the inspiration for the album while sitting on the beach, noticing all the trash in the sand) and recording began in June 2008. In September of last year, Albarn premiered three brand-new tracks — "Electric Shock," "Broken" and "Stylo" — on BBC Radio 1. In December, Gorillaz appeared on the U.K. cover of Wired magazine and in January their official site underwent a face-lift, making it clear that the Plastic Beach era had begun. A Cast Of Hundreds It wouldn't be a Gorillaz production without more than a few co-stars, and Plastic Beach has 'em by the bucketload. First single "Stylo" features vocals by Mos Def and Bobby Womack (not to mention Bruce Willis in the video), and the album features contributions from Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon from the Clash, the Fall's Mark E. Smith, British rappers Bashy and Kano, De La Soul and Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys, to name just a few. There are also musical flourishes provided by Chicago's Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental and Arabic Music too. Return To The Road Gorillaz have performed live in the past — including a sold-out run of shows at Harlem's Apollo Theatre and a Grammy duet with Madonna — but longtime plans of a worldwide holographic tour never materialized. But, this time around, things may be different — the band have already been confirmed as headliners at the 2010 Coachella Festival, and if Beach is a success, the lure of the open road may prove too much to resist.

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Gorillaz Return -- With Bruce Willis -- In 'Stylo' Video MTV News - 19 days ago
Clip shows band racing down a deserted highway with 'Cop Out' star in hot pursuit.By James Montgomery The Gorillaz' Murdoc in the "Stylo" music video Photo: Virgin There are plenty of questions raised in the Gorillaz' new "Stylo" video — the first off their Plastic Beach album, which hits stores next week — and very few answers provided. For example, where are Murdoc, 2-D and (the now robotic) Noodle going? Why are they in such a hurry to get there? What's up with all the bullet holes in their car? Where's loveable drummer Russel? And, perhaps most important of all, what's Bruce Willis doing there? Yes, it's a pretty obtuse thing, an ominous clip that matches the downright spooky vibe of the song (which features cameos by Mos Def and Bobby Womack). The video shows three-quarters of the band balling down a deserted stretch of California highway in a bullet-riddled '69 Camaro, being pursued by a donut-loving cop. Presented in 3-D, the 'rillaz look frazzled and frightened: 2-D appears to be on the brink of collapse, and the bags under Murdoc's eyes are fleshy and pronounced. And Noodle — who, as Gorillaz fans will recall, may or may not have died at the conclusion of the "El Mañana" video — now exists as a cyborg, one who conks out midway through the video, either due to the stress of the situation or the large bullet hole in her forehead. And then there's Willis, who turns up as a (presumed) bounty hunter, tasked with offing the Gorillaz for good. He takes off after the band in a muscle car of his own, chases them down, and begins firing at them with a very large-caliber handgun. The two cars careen down the highway, in a very real death race that concludes with the band crashing through a guard rail and down into the murky depths of the ocean. Willis, looking very proud of himself, emerges from his ride and surveys the scene, cracks a satisfied smile and then disappears. The job, apparently, is done. Only, it isn't. Because at clip's end, we see the Gorillaz' Camaro transform into a sorta-submarine, swimming off into the darkness, bound — presumably — for the band's titular beach. Or maybe they died. Who knows? That's the beauty of all things Gorillaz: They understand the power of mystery, of the unsaid. And that's the power of the "Stylo" video, too. We don't comprehend much of what's happening, but we're compelled to keep watching. And at the end of the video, we're left with even more questions than we started with. Not that it really matters ... we're sure Damon Albarn and Co. will provide the answers someday. Probably. Related Artists Gorillaz

Kevin Smith: 'Cop Out Is Tribute To Late Dad' Starpulse Entertainment News - 20 days ago
Kevin Smith signed on to direct new comedy Cop Out as a tribute to his late father. The filmmaker's latest release stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan as a pair of detectives on the hunt for a stol...

'Shutter Island' Remains Top Box Office Destination American Superstar Magazine - 20 days ago
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Shutter Island is still a big destination. The creepy thriller set at a remote insane asylum remained the No. 1 movie for the second straight weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The film, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, had ticket sales of $22.2 million. The total outdistanced Cop Out, the Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan police comedy that debuted with $18.6 million. Opening in third place was the horror remake The Crazies with $16.5 million. read more

Cop Out Movie Review About.com Hollywood Movies - 24 days ago
Cop Out is pretty funny...for the first 20 minutes. After that, it totally disintegrates into a generic buddy movie that could have had any two actors in the lead and gotten the same results. Cop Out fizzles out once the action scenes kick in. In fact, it might have been a better film had the action scenes been booted in favor of more time spent concentrating on the human elements. It also might have worked better had the two leads, Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, had even the tiniest bit of chemistry. They don't, and the film suffers for it. Read More... Movie Review: Cop Out More on Cop Out: Cop Out Photos Trailer for Cop Out Cop Out Cast List (Photo &copy Warner Bros Pictures) Follow Hollywood Movies on TwitterCop Out Movie Review originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 15:52:45.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Hitting Theaters This Weekend About.com Hollywood Movies - 25 days ago
If you're looking for something new in theaters this weekend you basically have just two choices: you can either go with a buddy cop comedy or a remake of a 1973 George A Romero film. That's it. Or, if neither of the newbies sound appealing, you could get ready for next weekend's Oscar ceremonies by catching up on all the nominees you missed. Cop Out starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan The Crazies with Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell New Film Photos: The Bounty Hunter Photos - Gerard Butler/Jennifer Aniston Brooklyn's Finest Photos - Richard Gere/Ethan Hawke The Crazies Premiere Photos - Timothy Olyphant/Radha Mitchell The Crazies Photos - Danielle Panabaker/Joe Anderson Furry Vengeance Photos - Brendan Fraser/Brooke Shields How to Train Your Dragon Photos - Gerard Butler/Jay Baruchel A Few New Trailers, Clips and Posters: Alice in Wonderland Trailer, Video Clips, and Behind the Scenes Featurettes Brooklyn's Finest Trailer and Video Clips The Crazies Clips and Trailer Prince of Persia 'Creating an Epic' Featurette Robin Hood Trailer A Couple of New Movie Posters: Brooklyn's Finest Poster A Nightmare on Elm Street Poster Toy Story 3 Character Posters (Photo &copy Overture Films) Follow Hollywood Movies on Twitter Hitting Theaters This Weekend originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 18:04:43.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Review: `Cop Out' falls shy of its inspirations (AP) Yahoo! News: Entertainment News - 25 days ago
AP - "Cop Out" is a clumsy postmodern buddy cop flick that stuffs as many genre references as it can into the ceaseless patter between Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis.

Can '30 Rock' Stars Persuade Bruce Willis To Guest Star? Latest News on omg! - 26 days ago
At the NYC "Cop Out" premiere, several "30 Rock" stars storm the red carpet, but can they convince Bruce Willis to guest star on their show? Tracy Morgan says his birthday gift to Tina Fey will be landing Bruce, but what does Bruce have to say about that?

Bruce and Tracy Are Two Cops Out For a NYC Premiere PopSugar - 26 days ago
Bruce Willis brought his wife Emma Heming to last night's premiere of Cop Out in NYC. Tracy Morgan coordinated his red outfit with the carpet, where the guys were joined by Seann William Scott and Michelle Trachtenberg. Their costar Adam Brody was fresh from LA, though he turned up without his female traveling companion, while Kevin Smith also made it despite his recent airplane difficulties. Tracy was excited to share all about the best part of working on the film, which opens on Friday. "Just to be able to star in a big action movie," he said. "[It was] the biggest thing that I've ever done in my career and it was with Bruce Willis." To see more photos, just read more. View 30 Photos › Images include: Adam Brody, Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Seann William Scott, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jane Krakowski, Kevin Smith, Matthew Settle, Emma Heming

Bruce Willis To 'Die Hard' Once More Starpulse Entertainment News - 26 days ago
Bruce Willis is making plans to return to the Die Hard franchise, confirming a fifth installment is in the works. The actor kick started his career as a big-screen action man playing New York cop John McClane in the 1988 blockbuster,[...] Read more!

Bruce Willis 'Cops Out' Latest News on omg! - 26 days ago
Movie stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan talk about improvising the laughs on the set of their new police comedy, 'Cop Out.' (Feb. 23)

Willis to 'Die Hard' Once More Hollywood.com - 26 days ago
Bruce Willis is making plans to return to the 'Die Hard' franchise, confirming a fifth installment is in the works.

Willis and Shyamalan Plan 'Unbreakable' Sequel Hollywood.com - 26 days ago
Bruce Willis is planning to reteam with horror director M. Night Shyamalan and make a sequel to 2000 thriller 'Unbreakable.'

Hitting Theaters This Weekend About.com Hollywood Movies - 32 days ago
The studios pretty much all skipped this weekend, leaving just Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's latest outing as the weekend's only wide release. I guess Scorsese scared everyone away... Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo The Ghost Writer (limited release) with Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan A Batch of New Film Photos: Cop Out Photos - Bruce Willis/Tracy Morgan Date Night Photos - Steve Carell/Tina Fey The Ghost Writer Photos - Ewan McGregor/Pierce Brosnan Leaves of Grass Photos - Edward Norton/Keri Russell Remember Me Photos - Robert Pattinson/Emilie de Ravin Red Carpet Photo Galleries: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Premiere Photos - Logan Lerman/Alexandra Daddario Valentine's Day Premiere Photos - Jessica Biel/Ashton Kutcher The Wolfman Premiere Photos - Emily Blunt/Benicio del Toro And a Handful of New Movie Posters: Alice in Wonderland Posters Leaves of Grass Poster Letters to Juliet Poster Toy Story 3 Character Posters New Film Trailers and Video Clips: Alice in Wonderland Behind the Scenes Videos The Last Airbender Trailers Repo Men Trailer Toy Story 3 Trailers (Photo &copy Paramount Pictures) Follow Hollywood Movies on Twitter Hitting Theaters This Weekend originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 12:39:23.Permalink | Comment | Email this