Bruce Willis is one of the most famous actors of modern times, grossing an estimated $2.64 billion at the box office, yet most people don’t know that he suffered from a stutter for most of his youth. He was born in West Germany and moved to America when his father was discharged from the military.
While in high school he suffered from a stutter and was described as nervous and cautious in his movements. Willis discovered that the only way he could properly express himself was on stage, and for some reason it was the only place he felt comfortable enough to speak without a stutter.
He said, "I could hardly talk. It took me three minutes to complete a sentence. It was crushing for anyone who wanted to express themselves, who wanted to be heard and couldn't. It was frightening. Yet, when I became another character, in a play, I lost the stutter. It was phenomenal."
Willis became the class clown to compensate for his insecurities, and only found his confidence when he worked with a speech therapist and began acting. After high school he became a private investigator, yet quickly learned that his passion remained in acting. He began starring in films and quickly rose to the top of Hollywood as one of the leading actors.