The TRAGIC reason why Bruce Willis was nick-named 'Buck Buck' as a young boy
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bruce Willis is one of the few actors who have established their own benchmark when it comes to Hollywood and acting. He has unquestionably contributed to the popularity of the 'Die Hard' series among fans, making it one of the most watched action movies of all time.
The actor, born on March 19, 1955, has played versatile roles and has made us fall in love with each of them. The incredibly gifted actor has always given outstanding performances, whether it is in 'Moonlighting' on television or the blockbuster film 'The Expendables'.
RELATED ARTICLES
Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in
A bullied childhood
As news about his retirement from cinema surfaced in 2020, there were a few things fans probably didn't know about Bruce Willis. Apart from the fact that his untreatable dementia has affected his ability to communicate, it is a lesser known fact that Willis also struggled as a child because of his stutter. “There was a lot of bullying in my life, and I had to fight my way out,” he recalled to The Hollywood Reporter. “Kids get mean.” The actor was frequently referred to by his friends as "Buck Buck" over his stammer, which he miraculously dropped while playing on stage. The actor's inclination towards the stage was partly brought on by this. Wills frequently claims that he found it simpler to express himself on stage.
Years of struggle
When he was recognized by the American Institute for Stuttering in 2016, he became emotional and stated, "That means far more to me than you can realize."
While preparing his speech, Willis made an effort to remember when he first started stuttering. He revealed that when he was around six, "[I had] no plan, no help, just flailing wildly for a really long time". "Miracles" happened to Willis all through his life. He recalls attempting to act at his school and the YMCA in his community and discovered that by portraying a character onstage, he could better control his speech impediment. Later, he worked with speech therapists while attending Montclair State University in New Jersey.
Joe Biden by his side
On a surprising note, President Joe Biden revealed himself as a stutterer as he was honored at the Freeing Voices Changing Lives gala in New York in 2020. During his 25-minute speech, Biden briefly deviated from the script to chastise a few audience members who giggled when he revealed his childhood speech impediment.
“I resent the laughter,” he declared angrily. “Think about it, stuttering is the only thing people think they can laugh at. If I was up here talking about having a cleft palate and had it operated on, or had a withered arm or was partially paralyzed, no one would make fun of me at all.”
Biden remembered attempting to manage his stutter. Like Willis, he acknowledged that when he was younger, he learnt to fight and defend himself, and now, owing to other public personalities and movies like 'The King's Speech', he was not ashamed of what he endured.