Die Hard - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "Die Hard"
Die Hard (1988)
Timing: 2:12 (132 min)
Die Hard - TMDB rating
7.808/10
12166
Die Hard - Kinopoisk rating
8.045/10
348814
Die Hard - IMDB rating
8.2/10
1000000

Actors and characters

Photo Bruce Willis #1625Photo Bruce Willis #1626Photo Bruce Willis #1627Photo Bruce Willis #1628

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis
Character John McClane
Photo Alan Rickman #9952Photo Alan Rickman #9953Photo Alan Rickman #9954Photo Alan Rickman #9955

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman
Character Hans Gruber
Photo Bonnie Bedelia #40201Photo Bonnie Bedelia #40202Photo Bonnie Bedelia #40203Photo Bonnie Bedelia #40204

Bonnie Bedelia

Bonnie Bedelia
Character Holly Gennaro McClane
Photo Paul Gleason #40210

Paul Gleason

Paul Gleason
Character Dwayne Robinson
Photo William Atherton #40212Photo William Atherton #40213Photo William Atherton #40214Photo William Atherton #40215

William Atherton

William Atherton
Character Richard Thornburg
Photo Hart Bochner #40216Photo Hart Bochner #40217

Hart Bochner

Hart Bochner
Character Harry Ellis
Photo James Shigeta #20691

James Shigeta

James Shigeta
Character Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
Bruno Doyon
Character Franco
Joey Plewa
Character Alexander
Dennis Hayden
Character Eddie
Photo Al Leong #40219

Al Leong

Al Leong
Character Uli
Gary Roberts
Character Heinrich
Hans Buhringer
Character Fritz
Photo Robert Davi #16268Photo Robert Davi #16269Photo Robert Davi #16270

Robert Davi

Robert Davi
Character Big Johnson
Photo Grand L. Bush #40221Photo Grand L. Bush #40222

Grand L. Bush

Grand L. Bush
Character Little Johnson
Bill Marcus
Character City Engineer
Photo Matt Landers #40223

Matt Landers

Matt Landers
Character Captain Mitchell
Carmine Zozzora
Character Rivers
Dustyn Taylor
Character Ginny
Photo George Christy #22098

George Christy

George Christy
Character Dr. Hasseldorf
Photo Anthony Peck #40224

Anthony Peck

Anthony Peck
Character Young Cop
Cheryl Baker
Character Woman
Richard Parker
Character Man
Photo David Ursin #40225

David Ursin

David Ursin
Character Harvey Johnson
Photo Mary Ellen Trainor #2181Photo Mary Ellen Trainor #2182

Mary Ellen Trainor

Mary Ellen Trainor
Character Gail Wallens
Harri James
Character Police Supervisor
Shelley Pogoda
Character Dispatcher

Selma Archerd

Selma Archerd
Character Hostage
Scot Bennett
Character Hostage
Rebecca Broussard
Character Hostage
Kate Finlayson
Character Hostage
Shanna Higgins
Character Hostage
Photo Kym Malin #40226Photo Kym Malin #40227Photo Kym Malin #40228

Kym Malin

Kym Malin
Character Hostage
Taylor Fry
Character Lucy McClane
Noah Land
Character John McClane Jr.
Betty Carvalho
Character Paulina
Photo Kip Waldo #40229
Kip Waldo
Character Convenience Store Clerk
Mark Goldstein
Character Station Manager
Photo Tracy Reiner #34877
Tracy Reiner
Character Thornburg's Assistant
Rick Cicetti
Character Guard
Photo Fred Lerner #71610
Fred Lerner
Character Guard
Bill Margolin
Character Producer
Photo Bob Jennings #24950
Bob Jennings
Character Cameraman
Bruce P. Schultz
Character Cameraman
David Katz
Character Soundman
Photo Robert Lesser #40230Photo Robert Lesser #40231

Robert Lesser

Robert Lesser
Character Businessman
Photo Stella Hall #40232
Stella Hall
Character Stewardess
Photo Terri Lynn Doss #40233
Terri Lynn Doss
Character Girl at Airport
Jon E. Greene
Character Boy at Airport
P. Randall Bowers
Character Kissing Man
Michele Laybourn
Character Girl in Window
Photo Charlie Picerni #13587

Charlie Picerni

Charlie Picerni
Character Dwayne Robinson's Driver (uncredited)
Conrad Hurtt
Character SWAT (uncredited)
Terry Ray
Character SWAT (uncredited)
Photo Eric Kay #40234
Eric Kay
Character Fireman (uncredited)
Photo Gérard Bonn #369099
Gérard Bonn
Character Kristoff
Mark Winn
Character Police Detective (uncredited)

What's left behind the scenes

  • The film is based on Roderick Thorpe's novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" (1979).
  • When the film first appeared in Russia, it was known under various titles, including "Indestructible," "Stubborn," and "Die Hard, But with Dignity." The official Russian title of the film – "Die Hard" – became established somewhat later. A literal Russian translation of the film's title is "Resist to the End" or "Be Steadfast."
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, and Richard Gere all auditioned for the role of John McClane. Bruce Willis was only the fifth candidate.
  • The official poster for the film featured no mention of Bruce Willis or his image, only a massive building. Producers deliberately refrained from including the actor’s face to avoid scaring away Bruce Willis’s detractors from watching the film. After it became clear that the film was successful at the box office, posters with the actor’s image also appeared.
  • The phrases in German spoken by the terrorists are sometimes grammatically incorrect and nonsensical. In the German version of the film, the terrorists are not originally from Germany, but "somewhere in Europe."
  • In the film, one of the cops says that John McClane "could have been a good bartender." Before starting his acting career, Bruce actually worked as a bartender.
  • The book the film is based on is a sequel to the novel "Detective," which was also adapted for the screen. Frank Sinatra played the main role in it. Bruce Willis made his debut in 1980 in the film "First Deadly Sin." In one of the film's episodes, Bruce’s character leaves the bar, and at the same moment, Sinatra’s character enters it.
  • The film's script was originally written as a sequel to "Commando." However, after Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to star in the sequel, the script underwent significant changes.
  • For his role in the film, Bruce Willis received an unheard-of fee for him at the time, amounting to $5 million.
  • Actor Anthony Peck, who played the role of the young cop, later appeared in a sequel to the film ("Die Hard 3: Vengeance") as police officer Ricky Walsh.
  • Following the film's release, tourists are prohibited from taking any photographs inside the Fox Plaza building, where filming took place.
  • The building used for filming was designed by architect William Pereira and became one of his last projects. The architect died in 1985.
  • The addresses and phone numbers of the Nakatomi Plaza managers mirror the real addresses and phone numbers of the Fox Plaza managers, where the film was shot.
  • In the German version of the film, the terrorists' names were changed from traditionally German to British: Hans became Jack; Karl became Charlie; Heinrich became Henry. The name and goals of the terrorist group were also changed – they became radical Irish activists who had broken away from the main organization and taken hostages not to pursue any goals, but for profit.
  • In one of the final scenes of the film, Hans tells McClane that this time "John Wayne won't ride off into the sunset with Grace Kelly." To which McClane replies: "That was Gary Cooper, you bastard." This verbal exchange is a reference to the film 'High Noon'.
  • Hans Gruber and other terrorists arrive at the Nakatomi Plaza building in a truck belonging to Pacific Courier. In "Die Hard 3: Vengeance" (1995), the truck can be seen parked near the building during the store explosion at the beginning of the film. The truck belongs to Atlantic Courier. In "Speed" (1994), the side of the plane also bears the inscription "Pacific Courier".
  • The phrase "Yipee-ki-yay, motherfucker!" is uttered in all films of the franchise.
  • John McTiernan intentionally avoided showing close-ups of Hans Gruber's face when he was firing a weapon, because Alan Rickman would flinch with every shot, which, of course, did not fit the image of a tough and ruthless terrorist.
  • It is believed that Bruce Willis's lines in the scene where he removes a shard of glass from his foot were improvised by the actor. However, according to the original script, Bruce only added a little of his own.
  • Carl's weapon is a Steyr AUG.
  • Hans Gruber was named after a character from "A High Wind in Jamaica" (1966).
  • The Spanish title of the film is "Jungle of Crystal", the Polish title is "Glass Trap". The Hungarian title is "Give Your Life for More", the sequel's title is "Your Life is Even More Valuable", and the third film's title is "Life is Always Precious".
  • Bruce Willis personally recommended Bonnie Bedelia for the role of his wife.
  • Helsinki Syndrome is a reference to Stockholm syndrome. It is unknown why the filmmakers decided to change the name.
  • Originally, it was planned that the Nakatomi building would be controlled by a supercomputer.
  • The Nakatomi Building is actually the headquarters of 20th Century Fox studio.
  • John McTiernan repeatedly declined offers to direct this film.
  • Much of the script is improvisation by the actors and crew, as many scenes were devised directly during filming.
  • Rehearsals were not held for the scene where the characters of Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman meet, in order to achieve a more convincing effect of spontaneity.
  • Concurrently with filming "Die Hard", Bruce Willis was starring in "Moonlighting". Willis usually filmed for the television series during the day, and the filming for McTiernan's film took place in the evening and at night.
  • The scene where Gruber and McClane meet was added to the script after it was discovered that Alan Rickman could convincingly imitate an American accent.
  • Initially, the film was translated by illegal publishers under the title “Die Hard, But with Dignity.” In A. Gavrilov’s translation, the film appeared under the title “Indestructible.” When the film was released in Soviet cinemas in 1991, it was shown under the now-established title “Die Hard.”
  • In Roderick Thorpe’s book, the protagonist saves his daughter from criminals. In the film, it’s his wife.
  • When McClane enters the lobby of Nakatomi Plaza, he examines with great interest a technological novelty of the time—an information terminal equipped with a touch screen.
  • During the filming of the scene in which Hans Gruber falls from the roof of the building, actor Alan Rickman actually fell from a height of 6 meters.
  • The scene where McClane falls into the elevator shaft was the result of a failed stunt. Initially, the stuntman was supposed to grab the first ventilation opening. However, the filmmakers left the shot in, editing it with a shot of McClane grabbing the next ventilation opening, believing it would look more exciting.
  • The music playing during the scene where Powell kills Karl is an unused track from James Horner’s soundtrack to “Aliens” (1986).
  • The two surviving terrorists never showed whether they had any weapons at all, nor did they make any attempt to intimidate the hostages.
  • When John arrives at the Nakatomi building at the beginning of the film and tries to find his wife among the employees using the computer, the touchscreen displays her last name as “Gennaro” before being pressed, and then as “Gennero”.
  • Filming took place from November 2, 1987, to March 4, 1988.
  • John McTiernan deliberately avoided showing close-ups of Hans Gruber's face when he fired a weapon, because Alan Rickman flinched with every shot, which, of course, did not fit the image of a tough and ruthless terrorist.
  • The main weapon of Gruber's group was the HK MP5A3 submachine gun, but modified HK94 self-loading carbines were used in its place.
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, and Richard Gere all auditioned for the role of John McClane. Bruce Willis was only the fifth candidate on the list.
  • In the film, one of the cops says that John McClane "could be a good bartender." Before starting his acting career, Bruce actually worked as a bartender.
  • The film's script was originally written as a sequel to "Commando." However, after Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to star in the continuation, the script underwent significant changes.
  • In one of the final scenes of the film, Hans tells McClane that this time "John Wayne won't ride off into the sunset with Grace Kelly." To which McClane replies: "That was Gary Cooper, you bastard." This verbal exchange is a reference to the film "High Noon."
  • Hans Gruber and the other terrorists arrive at the Nakatomi Plaza building in a truck belonging to Pacific Courier. In "Die Hard with a Vengeance" (1995), during the explosion of the store at the very beginning of the film, a truck can be seen parked near the building. The truck belongs to Atlantic Courier. In "Speed" (1994), "Pacific Courier" is also written on the side of the plane.
  • Concurrently with filming "Die Hard," Bruce Willis was starring in "Moonlighting." Willis typically filmed for the television series during the day, while filming for McTiernan's film took place in the evenings and at night.
  • When John arrives at the Nakatomi building at the beginning of the film and tries to find his wife among the employees using a computer, the surname on the touch panel is displayed as "Gennaro" before being pressed, and then as "Gennero".
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