Movies - TV
Bruce Willis Won An Emmy Thanks To A Bet With Matthew Perry
By JEREMY SMITH
Jonathan Lynn's “The Whole Nine Yards” brought Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry together at two very different junctures in their careers. The buddy comedy revived their careers.
Willis was unconvinced that the movie would do well, but Perry was hoping it would help him connect with mainstream moviegoers. The two made a bet over how well the film would do.
If “The Whole Nine Yards” was a hit, Willis would have to do a guest spot on “Friends.” The modestly budgeted comedy made $106 million worldwide, and Willis was a man of his word.
Willis did a three-episode run on “Friends” as Paul Stevens, the father of a girl Ross Geller dated in college. In his arc, Stevens sets off a romantic spark with Rachel Green.
He instantly meshed with the core cast and reminded us that he's one of our finest actors. In doing so, he won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
This would've never happened had Perry, who passed away far too soon at the age of 54, failed to stick up for the commercial prospects of “The Whole Nine Yards.”