As The Sixth Sense prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year, Donnie Wahlberg is opening up about working with the movie's lead star Bruce Willis, who is battling frontotemporal dementia.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight's Nischelle Turner, Wahlberg said that Willis was "so cool to me" while working on the hit film. "Bruce was so supportive. He just had my back," he shared. "It was a great thrill to work with him and get to know him."
Wahlberg talked about the one scene they filmed together, which saw his character, Vincent Gray, shoot Willis' Malcolm Crowe before turning the gun on himself.
"I was watching him, and as out of my mind as I was on that day, I was like, 'He's so technical. He hits his mark, and then he goes to the emotion,'" the Blue Bloods star recalled. "He was just so helpful and supportive."
Willis offered that same support during the premiere of The Sixth Sense, hugging Wahlberg and telling him, "'You did so good. You did so good. You really helped the movie.'"
Wahlberg said that this support from the Die Hard star helped with his self-confidence. "If he hadn't supported me, I don't know that I would have had that confidence," he shared. "I don't know that I would be here right now. That's how impactful it was… It meant the world to me, and then to see how humble he was through all of it was just very impressive."
The New Kids on the Block member also recalled the struggles he went through for the Sixth Sense role. He lost 47 pounds to play the part of the troubled patient, who had an intense relationship with his psychiatrist, Malcolm.
