Summary
M. Night Shyamalan details the “tense” conversation he had with Bruce Willis while filmingThe Sixth Sense. Released in 1999,The Sixth Sensestars Willis as child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, with a story that follows Crowe as he begins treating the mysterious Cole (Haley Joel Osment) and making a series of startling discoveries. The film was a critical and commercial hit, with both Willis' and Osment’s performances garnering acclaim.
During a recent interview withTotal Film(viaGamesRadar+), Shyamalan reflected on working with Willis while filmingThe Sixth Sense, recalling one encounter, in particular. The filmmaker details one “tense” on-set moment with Willis that eventually turned into an impressive compliment. Check out Shyamalan’s recollection of events below:
“There was a slightly tense moment in the last thing we were shooting on that Friday where [Bruce] did a line and I had a note. You never know when that moment happens, when you make or break your career, when you become who you’re going to become. I was like, 26 or 27. He gave me the ice look: ‘I think we got it.’
“And I went over to him. He was ice. And I whispered in his ear the note. I said, ‘I want you to der-der-der-der’. He kind of looked at me, and I quickly go, ‘Alright, roll sound. Here we go!’ I didn’t even give him a conversation.”
“[I got called to Willis’ trailer afterward] and I knock on the door, and the door opens. I go, ‘Hey, did you want to say something?’ and he goes, ‘I’ve only felt this once before. I felt it on Pulp Fiction, and I just felt it now.’ And then he goes, ‘You’ve got it, kid.’ So I said, ‘Oh, thanks!’
“He closed the door, and I literally skipped down the sidewalk. But that’s who he was. He would test you, and basically say, ‘Do you believe in yourself? Because I don’t think you do.’ And if it works, it works. If it doesn’t work, you’re dead. And it worked!”
7 Ghosts Cole Sees In The Sixth Sense Explained
Cole Sear witnesses several ghosts throughout M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense, but their real stories aren’t always made clear by the movie.
M. Night Shyamalan & Bruce Willis Were A Powerful Creative Combo
The Sixth Sense Was A Massive Hit
The response toThe Sixth Senseconfirms that, despite a tense moment here and there, Shyamalan and Willis were a strong creative team. The film was made on an estimated budget of $40 million and went on to earn a staggering $672.8 million worldwide. The 1999 film still stands as the highest-grossing movie of Shyamalan’s career.
Signsis the second highest-grossing movie of Shyamalan’s career with $408.2 million grossed worldwide.
The Sixth Sensereviews were also generally very positive, and the film currently enjoys a strong 86% onRotten Tomatoes. The audience score is even higher at 90%. Word-of-mouth ended up playing a crucial role in the movie’s success, something thatThe Sixth Sense’s twist endingmost certainly contributed to. In fact,The Sixth Senseessentially established the reputation that Shyamalan has now in terms of his love of pulling the rug out from under audiences with unique and surprising twists.
Shyamalan and Willis evidently got on well enough making the 1999 film to then reunite forUnbreakablein 2000. While this film didn’t fare as well critically and commercially, Willis' role as unlikely superhero David Dunn is a notable one in his decades-long career. Willis would even reprise the role and work with Shyamalan again briefly for theend ofSplitin 2016 and forGlassin 2019. Though Willis and Shyamalan will never work together again due to the former’s retirement from acting,The Sixth Senseevidently remains a formative project for them both.
The Sixth Sense
Cast
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.
