John Travolta has paid tribute to his Pulp Fiction co-star Bruce Willis as a “generous soul” following the announcement the 67-year-old will step back from his acting career.
The actor shared memories of his “good friend” alongside other Hollywood identities from Matthew Perry to Haley Joel Osment.
Willis has starred in hit films including the Die Hard series, Armageddon, Moonrise Kingdom, 12 Monkeys and Looper.
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“Bruce and I became good friends when we shared 2 of our biggest hits together, Pulp Fiction and Look Who’s Talking,” Travolta posted online, sharing photos of the pair.
“Years later he said to me, ‘John, I just want you to know that when something good happens to you, I feel like it’s happening to me.’
“That’s how generous a soul he is. I love you Bruce.”
Friends actor Perry said Willis will “remain in my prayers for a long time” following the announcement.
Dear Bruce Willis, I'm so sorry to hear what you are going through, but you're still the coolest man I've met in my entire life. You will remain in my prayers for a long long time. Maybe we should get together and watch the whole 10 yards and get a couple of hours of sleep.
— matthew perry (@MatthewPerry) March 31, 2022
Willis starred alongside Perry in The Whole Nine Yards as well as making appearances in three episodes of the hit US sitcom.
His cameos included The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth’s Dad, in which he played overprotective father Paul Stevens, whose daughter is going out with David Schwimmer’s hapless Ross Geller.
Willis’s character eventually ends up in a relationship with Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston.
Writing on Twitter, Perry said Willis was “still the coolest man I’ve met in my entire life”.
“It’s been difficult to find the right words for someone I’ve always looked up to—first on the big screen, and then by some wild stroke of luck, in person,” the actor wrote on Instagram.
“Dear Bruce Willis, I’m so sorry to hear what you are going through, but you’re still the coolest man I’ve met in my entire life.
“You will remain in my prayers for a long long time. Maybe we should get together and watch the whole 10 yards and get a couple of hours of sleep,” Perry said, in reference to the pair’s critically panned 2004 sequel to The Whole Nine Yards.
Osment, who appeared in psychological thriller The Sixth Sense alongside Willis, said the actor’s career had “enriched all of our lives” for decades.
“He’s a true legend who has enriched all of our lives with a singular career that spans nearly half a century.
“I am so grateful for what I got to witness firsthand, and for the enormous body of work he built for us to enjoy for years and years to come.
“I just wanted to express the respect and deep admiration I have for Bruce and his family as they move forward with the courage and high spirits that have always defined them.”
Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars also sent messages of support for the “awesome badass” after the news was shared on Wednesday.
Director M Night Shyamalan, Breaking Bad star Dean Norris, Seth Green and Jamie Lee Curtis were among the famous faces rallying around the Willis family.
Shyamalan, who directed the actor in the 2019 superhero thriller Glass, paid tribute to Willis as the “hero on that poster on my wall as a kid”.
“All my love and respect to my big brother Bruce Willis,” he said.
“I know his wonderful family is surrounding him with support and strength.
“He will always be that hero on that poster on my wall as a kid.”
Actor James Woods praised the Willis family for handling the difficult news with “dignity and grace.”
“If you love movies, you love #BruceWillis. He has embodied everything good about the word ‘entertainment’ for decades,” he wrote.
“Kudos to his loving family for handling difficult news with dignity and grace. I speak for the world when I say, ‘We love you, Bruce’.”
If you love movies, you love #BruceWillis. He has embodied everything good about the word “entertainment” for decades. Kudos to his loving family for handling difficult news with dignity and grace.
I speak for the world when I say, “We love you, Bruce.” https://t.co/pzVFdFENW2
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) March 30, 2022
Disclosing the news on social media, Willis’s family said it had been a “really challenging time” for them and thanked fans for their “continued love, compassion and support”.
Willis married actress Demi Moore in 1987 and had his three eldest children, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah.
The pair separated in 2000 but remained on amicable terms and Willis married actress Emma Heming in 2009.
Willis and Heming also share two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn.