The debate regarding whether or not 1988’s iconic action flick “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie will likely rage on forever. It was released in July, and its general themes aren’t “Christmassy” in the slightest, but the fact is it’s set over the festive period (on Christmas Eve, no less), so it’s a Yuletide staple for millions, regardless.
“Die Hard” chronicles a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper, the Nakatomi Plaza, while a New York City police detective is visiting his estranged wife there. Naturally, he becomes embroiled in the situation.
It turned 37 this year and, as Christmas 2025 approaches, it got us thinking: what do the core cast members of “Die Hard” look like now?
From leading man Bruce Willis, to supporting actors and actresses like Reginald VelJohnson and Bonnie Bedelia, let’s take a look at the stars of “Die Hard” as they were then, and as they are now…
Bruce Willis (John McClane)
Bruce Willis played the iconic police detective John McClane in “Die Hard” — a role he reprised in four sequels. He was 33 when “Die Hard” was released in theaters.
At the time of the movie’s release, Willis was best known for his leading role on the comedy-drama series “Moonlighting,” but he had also appeared in some movies. His most notable prior credit came earlier in 1998, when he starred in the mystery Western film “Sunset” (per IMDb).
GettyWillis is now 70 and has retired from acting — primarily due to the fact that, sadly, he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. He has also taken a step back from the public eye, as a result.
While he still could, Willis was still acting prolifically — mainly in direct-to-video movies. His two most recent credits were in 2023. They were the action flick “Detective Knight: Independence” and the sci-fi action offering “Assassin.”
We wish Willis well as he and his family deal with his condition with the utmost dignity.
GettyAlan Rickman (Hans Gruber)
The legendary Alan Rickman played the iconic villain Hans Gruber, the ruthless leader of a group of terrorists, in “Die Hard.” Rickman was 42 at the time of the film’s release.
“Die Hard” was actually Rickman’s first movie role. Before 1988, he had appeared on stage and television only. Some of his notable television credits included five episodes of the British serial drama “The Barchester Chronicles” and three episodes of the British sitcom “Girls on Top” (per IMDb).
Tragically, after being hospitalized following a minor stroke, Rickman was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in August of 2015. He passed away from the horrible disease at home in London on January 14, 2016.
The star had earned an incredible reputation as a versatile actor, with his most notable post-“Die Hard” role being that of Severus Snape in all eight of the “Harry Potter” movies from 2001 until 2011. His last on-screen appearance came in the 2015 thriller “Eye in the Sky” and his last credit was a posthumous voice role in 2016’s fantasy adventure film “Alice Through the Looking Glass.”
May Alan Rickman rest in eternal peace.
GettyAlexander Godunov (Karl)
Russian-American ballet dancer and actor Alexander Godunov played Karl, Hans Gruber’s memorable second-in-command henchman, in “Die Hard.”
He was 37 when the movie was released and hadn’t done an awful lot of big screen acting. His two most recent pre-“Die Hard” roles were arguably his most notable, as he appeared in 1985’s neo-noir crime thriller “Witness” and 1986’s comedy movie “The Money Pit” (per IMDb).
GettySadly, Godunov was found dead at his California home on May 18, 1995. The cause was determined as complications from hepatitis secondary to chronic alcoholism. He was only 45 and had barely aged a day since “Die Hard.”
His final credits included the 1992 dark fantasy comedy “Waxwork II: Lost in Time” and 1994’s comedy-drama adventure film “North.”
May he rest in peace.
Bonnie Bedelia (Holly Gennaro-McClane)
Bonnie Bedelia was 40 when “Die Hard” was released in theaters. In the film, she played Holly Gennaro-McClane, a high-ranking Nakatomi executive and John McClane’s estranged wife.
Bedelia had been acting for around 30 years at the time and had credits on the big and small screen. Her most recent previous movie appearances came in 1987’s thriller film “The Stranger” and 1988’s comedy-drama “The Prince of Pennsylvania” (per IMDb).
GettyBedelia is now 77 and, while she’s still active as a performer, she’s by no means prolific and isn’t constantly in the limelight. Her most recent movie credits are 2022’s Christmas romantic comedy-drama “The Noel Diary” and 2023’s biographical sports drama “The Hill.”
GettyReginald VelJohnson (Al Powell)
It was one month from Reginald VelJohnson’s 36th birthday when “Die Hard” was released. In the film, he played Sergeant Al Powell of the Los Angeles Police Department.
He’d only been acting for around seven years at the time, and his most recent movie credits were 1986’s action comedy “Crocodile Dundee” and 1988’s comedy film “Plain Clothes” (per IMDb).
Now 73, VelJohnson is still active and appeared as a contestant on 2024’s 33rd season of the dance reality competition series “Dancing with the Stars,” on which he finished 10th.
His most recent movie credit is the 2023 animated Christmas adventure flick “Glisten and the Merry Mission.”
GettyPaul Gleason (Dwayne T. Robinson)
Paul Gleason played LAPD deputy chief Dwayne T. Robinson in “Die Hard.” Gleason was 49 when the film came out.
He had been acting for over 25 years at the time and had many notable credits on television and in movies — the most memorable of which was arguably Vice Principal Richard Vernon in 1985’s coming-of-age comedy-drama “The Breakfast Club.” His most recent movie role before “Die Hard” was earlier in 1988 in the comedy “Johnny Be Good” (per IMDb).
GettySadly, Gleason passed away in a California hospital on May 27, 2006. He was 67. The cause of death was pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung connected with asbestos.
His final notable roles included the 2002 rom-com “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” and episodes of the television comedy shows “Drake & Josh,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “George Lopez.”
May he rest in peace.
GettyDe’voreaux White (Argyle)
De’voreaux White played Argyle, John McClane’s limousine driver, in “Die Hard.” He was almost 23 when the movie was released.
He had been acting since he was a child and appeared in the musical action comedy “The Blues Brothers” in 1980. His last role before “Die Hard” was in the 1988 action comedy “Action Jackson” (per IMDb).
White is now 60. Although he does still act, his roles aren’t regular, and he’s rarely captured in public (you have to scour social media to find fans’ photographs of him, like the one below).
His most recent role came on television, in 2023, in the action comedy-drama series “Obliterated.” You need to go back to 2012 for his last movie role, which came in the little-known comedy-drama “Sandbar.”
William Atherton (Richard Thornburg)
William Atherton played the unscrupulous television reporter Richard Thornburg in “Die Hard.” It was just shy of his 41st birthday when the film released in theaters.
Atherton had been acting on screen for over 15 years at the time, and had a memorable role in 1984’s supernatural comedy movie “Ghostbusters.” His most recent film role prior to appearing in “Die Hard” came in the 1986 neo-noir action thriller “No Mercy” (per IMDb).
Atherton is now 78 and still acting. His most recent movie credit was in 2024’s supernatural comedy sequel “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” He reprised his role as the irritating Walter Peck, who had moved on from being an Environmental Protection Agency inspector and become the New York City mayor.
GettyWhether you believe “Die Hard” to be a Christmas movie or not, it’s undeniably a classic. So why not throw it in with the rest of your festive watchlist this year? You know you want to.
