Why do you think people relate to John McClane in the way that they do?
Bruce Willis: Well, I think that a big part of what initially went into the character of John McClane back in 1986, ’87, was the fact that I had only done a couple of films and a big part of my character was informed by my South Jersey roots, working-class background, South Jersey roots, a very healthy disregard and lack of respect for authority, and a pretty dark sense of humor. Q: That kind of like everyman that appeals to everybody. Willis: Well, I never consciously thought that I wanted to play it as an everyman, but it just kind of turned out like that. Q: What else do you have in common with John McClane? Willis: What do I have in common? Well, part of what we have, what we have started calling the mythology of Die Hard, includes the following. As I said, a healthy disregard and disrespect for lack of for authority, kind of a gallows sense of humor, kind of a cop gallows sense of humor. John McClane loves his family first and truth second. He has zero tolerance for anyone that tr
