Bruce Willis’ 2nd Emmy Win Wouldn’t Have Been Possible Without FRIENDS Star Matthew Perry That Hinged on a Bet

SUMMARY

• Bruce Willis became a global star after the action hit Die Hard but he had his first shot at fame as a TV star with the show Moonlighting.
• Playing the charming private detective David Addison, Willis received positive acclaim for his performance, including a Primetime Emmy for Lead Actor.
• Willis won his second Emmy for guest starring in FRIENDS, which he agreed to do after he reportedly lost a bit against Matthew Perry.

Before Bruce Willis became a global star with the action franchise Die Hard and the horror film The Sixth Sense, he was a TV star. He rose to fame as the private detective David Addison in Moonlighting, which also featured Cybill Shepherd. The role even earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe.

While the actor then moved on to films after making the action blockbuster Die Hard, he returned as a guest star on FRIENDS. Willis won his second Emmy for the role of Paul Stevens and the guest role was reportedly a result of a bet between him and his The Whole Nine Yards co-star Matthew Perry.

Matthew Perry Bet Bruce Willis To Guest Star On FRIENDS Which Led Him To An Emmy Win

Matthew Perry in FRIENDS | Credits: Warner Bros. Television

The late Matthew Perry is best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the legendary sitcom FRIENDS. The actor was a series regular for all ten seasons of the show and garnered millions of fans for playing the sarcastic and self-deprecating role of Bing. His death last year was mourned by the world.

While he was known for his TV role, Perry also branched out to the movies and starred in a number of romantic comedies like Fools Rush In and Serving Sara. However, he finally went into the buddy comedy zone with the Bruce Willis starrer The Whole Nine Yards. The actor reportedly met and became good friends with Willis on the set of that film.

Bruce Willis as Paul Stevens in FRIENDS | Credits: Warner Bros. Television

Perry also wrote in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing that Willis’ guest role as Paul Stevens in FRIENDS was the result of a bet between the two on the set of The Whole Nine Yards. He mentioned that the two bet on the success of the film, which Perry was sure of. He said (via Business Insider),

Bruce hadn’t been sure the film would work at all, and I’d bet him it would — if he lost, he had to do a guest spot on ‘Friends.’

The film ended up earning over $106 million against a $41 million budget and even led to a sequel. Willis kept his word and played a recurring guest role of Paul Stevens in the sitcom and even won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Matthew Perry Mentioned That Bruce Willis Was A Wonderful Guy

Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry in The Whole Nine Yards | Credits: Warner Bros.

One of the greatest tragedies of Hollywood is Matthew Perry, the funniest man on the most popular sitcom FRIENDS, struggling with alcohol and substance abuse problems. The late actor had expressed his tryst with prescription medication and alcohol multiple times and had even spoken up about how it had affected his career.

Perry wrote in his memoir that The Whole Nine Yards co-star Bruce Willis would throw elaborate parties but would not get addicted like him. He wrote that Willis would be able to sober down before working on films like The Sixth Sense, a process that eluded himself. He also spoke highly of the Die Hard star when they used to hang out on the sets. Perry wrote,

Sometimes, at the end of the night, when the sun was just about to come up and everyone else had gone, and the party was over, Bruce and I would just sit and talk,” he said. “That’s when I saw the real Bruce Willis — a good-hearted man, a caring man, selfless. A wonderful parent. And a wonderful actor. And most important, a good guy.

Perry also mentioned that their paths never crossed after the sequel The Whole Ten Yards. Willis would go on to have a tragedy of his own when he was reportedly diagnosed with dementia and announced that he would be retiring from acting (via CNN).

The Whole Nine Yards is currently available to stream on Pluto TV. FRIENDS is available to stream on Max.

Written by Nishanth A

Articles Published: 1376

Nishanth A is a Media, English and Psychology graduate from Bangalore. He is an avid DC fanboy and loves the films of Christopher Nolan. He has published over 1,000 articles on FandomWire. When he's not fixating on the entire filmography of a director, he tries to write and direct films.