Movies - TV
Bruce Willis Joined the Fifth Element in the Most Bruce Willis Way Possible
By JENNA BUSCH
In an article celebrating the 20th anniversary of “The Fifth Element,” director Luc Besson revealed that they initially didn’t consider Bruce Willis for the lead, Korben Dallas. With the money spent on the special effects and costumes, they wouldn’t have been able to afford a star of his caliber and when Besson said that to him, Willis replied, “If I like it, we will make an arrangement."
The conversation happened when Besson was having lunch with Willis’ wife at the time, Demi Moore, and Willis showed up during dessert and asked the director to consider him for the part. As Willis explained to Entertainment Weekly, “I just liked Luc — I liked the story, I liked the idea. I thought it would be fun to go to France and make a movie."
Willis immersed himself in the part with the crazy Gaultier costumes and even dyed his hair blond. He recalled, “I liked that stuff I wore, that Gaultier [...] One of the things I remember is that Luc had for some reason dyed his hair blond. And I said, 'You know what? I should dye my hair blond, have a little wig on my head.' That was a contribution of mine, and he liked it."