Bruce Willis Opposes New Gun-Control Laws, Brushes Off Link Between Onscreen and Real-Life Violence

Die Hard star warns against the potential erosion of civil rights if new policies governing gun ownership are introduced

By Alexis L. Loinaz Feb 06, 2013 5:52 PMTags
Bruce Willis, Live Free or Die Hard20th Century Fox

Bruce Willis is no stranger to shoot-'em-up action flicks, and he's now pulling the trigger on his stance in a highly charged debate: gun control.

In a move that will likely surprise few people, the Die Hard star says he's staunchly opposed to new gun-control laws, discounting a perceived theory that violent films influence real-life shoot-outs while warning against the potential erosion of civil rights that such laws may engender.  

"No one commits a crime because they saw a film," the 57-year-old star said in a recent published interview. "There's nothing to support that. We're not making movies about people that have gone berserk, or gone nuts. Those kind of movies wouldn't last very long at all."

The star said he remains deeply empathetic toward families of victims of horrific mass shootings in the wake of tragedies like the one in Newtown.

"It's a difficult thing and I really feel bad for those families," he explained. "I'm a father and it's just a tragedy."

But he also contended that exploring stricter gun-control laws poses a slippery slope for legislators looking to curb violent behavior. "I don't know how you legislate insanity," he wondered. "I don't know what you do about it."

The debate over gun control—and the connection between onscreen and real-life violence, invariably—has fired up renewed and vigorous dialogue within Hollywood, with outspoken celebs weighing in en masse on Twitter and on talk shows.

Willis, however, remains wary that new gun-ownership policies could pose a bigger threat to civil liberties.

"I think that you can't start to pick apart anything out of the Bill of Rights without thinking that it's all going to become undone," he said.

Willis' latest entry in his Die Hard saga, A Good Day to Die Hard, his theaters on Feb. 14. He also has two other action films, both of which will likely feature heavy gunplay, coming down the pike later this year: Red 2 and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.