Emma Heming Willis Says ‘Die Hard’ Is a Christmas Movie

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Emma Heming Willis, wife of Bruce Willis (who played John McClane), has joined the ongoing debate about whether the classic action movie Die Hard is a Christmas film. She believes it absolutely deserves a spot on your holiday movie list.

Few movies spark as much debate about their genre as Die Hard. For nearly 40 years, people have argued whether this film, which launched Bruce Willis’s career, is a true Christmas movie. Recently, Emma Heming Willis addressed the question in an interview with People magazine, sharing her opinion on where Die Hard belongs in the holiday movie canon. She stated:

We believe it’s fitting to watch Die Hard during the holidays because it truly feels like a Christmas film. Bruce Willis cherished Christmas, and we want to honor his memory by continuing to celebrate the season, even though it feels different now. There’s still happiness to be found.

The actress, who started as a model, explained that having a family member with dementia significantly changes your life, but you eventually learn to cope with it. She then continued by saying:

Even with challenges like dementia, life continues, and it’s important to find joy and keep making new memories while still cherishing familiar traditions. It’s vital that we don’t focus solely on the negative aspects of the condition.

‘Die Hard’s Status as a Christmas Film Is…Complicated


20th Century Fox

Certain movies are instant Christmas classics – everyone agrees they belong on the holiday watchlist. Think The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone, The Grinch, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, and many others. But Die Hard always sparks debate – some people love it as a Christmas movie, while others strongly disagree.

As a huge movie fan, I always come back to Die Hard. It’s basically about a group of terrorists who seize Nakatomi Plaza, and then it’s just non-stop action as John McClane, covered in cuts and bruises, takes them down one by one with guns and explosions. And, yes, Alan Rickman’s character famously falls off the building at the end – sorry for the spoiler! It’s a really fun, explosive movie, though maybe not exactly what you’d call a family-friendly Christmas watch.

Despite everything that happens in the film, it’s undeniably set on Christmas Eve. It includes a Christmas party, plenty of Santa hats, and finishes with the song “Let It Snow.” Like other movies clearly set during the holidays – such as Krampus, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Violent Night, and Gremlins – Die Hard simply has to be considered a Christmas movie.

If you remember Bruce Willis’ Comedy Roast, you might recall him insisting Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie – he called it “a Bruce Willis movie.” But it seems even his wife doesn’t agree! Not only is Die Hard a Christmas movie, but it’s a really good one, with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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2025-12-03 02:47