Haley Joel Osment opens up about heartwarming way Bruce Willis stayed in touch after ‘The Sixth Sense’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: It wasn’t just the eerie thrill of 'The Sixth Sense' that left a lasting impression on a young Haley Joel Osment.
Beyond the famous line, “I see dead people”, what stuck with him were the unexpected calls from co-star Bruce Willis.
Haley Joel Osment reflects on beautiful bond with Bruce Willis
On 'The Sixth Sense's 25th anniversary, Haley Joel Osment, known for his breakout role as Cole Sear in the M Night Shyamalan masterpiece, shared memories of the bond he formed with Bruce Willis during and after filming.
He revealed that Willis kept in touch for years, often leaving voicemails. “He would just call out of the blue, so sometimes it was in the lead-up before travel,” Osment explained to Entertainment Weekly.
The two had traveled to Japan together twice to promote the movie, and Willis made sure to check in beforehand.
In 'The Sixth Sense,' Bruce Willis portrayed Dr Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist working with young Cole Sear, played by Osment, who is haunted by visits from ghosts.
The film received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Osment's performance.
Speaking to the outlet, Osment continued, “Sometimes I would just come home from school and the answering machine would be blinking, and it’d be him going like, ‘Hey, Haley Joel. Just saying hi.’”
His admiration for Willis went beyond the occasional phone call. Even at 10 years old, he recognized the star power he was working alongside.
“I was old enough to have seen a lot of Willis’ films," Osment admitted, adding that the opportunity to collaborate with someone of Willis’ stature was a career-defining moment.
“And that’s something that lasts your entire career, where you get to work with people who you’ve enjoyed watching in other things.”
Osment's experience working with Willis on the film left an indelible mark.
Haley Joel Osment hasn't spoken to Bruce Willis since his dementia diagnosis
Bruce Willis’ professionalism and charisma set the tone for the whole production of 'The Sixth Sense', said Haley Joel Osmet.
“He did everything in such a cool way, and had such charisma, and was the person that you want on set setting the tone for the sort of movie we were making,” Osment reflected.
Sadly, the two have not spoken since Willis’ health struggles became public.
In 2022, Willis’ family announced his retirement from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition reportedly affecting his communication abilities.
His family later disclosed that his condition had advanced to frontotemporal dementia, a diagnosis that shook the entertainment world, according to Huffpost.
At a premiere event for his new film 'Blink Twice', Osment took a moment to send well wishes to his former co-star, expressing gratitude for their time together.
“I just feel grateful to have known him and got to work with him because he’s a wonderful, larger-than-life person,” Osment told Access Hollywood.
He also commended Willis’ family for their “courageous” transparency in updating fans about his condition.
