Editing Die Hard (section)

===Casting===
[[File:Bonnie Bedelia 1974.JPG|upright|left|thumb|alt=Portrait of Bonnie Bedelia looking directly at the camera |Willis chose [[Bonnie Bedelia]] (pictured in 1974) to portray Holly Gennero-McClane after he saw her performance in ''[[Heart Like a Wheel (film)|Heart Like a Wheel]]'' (1983).]]
As ''Die Hard'' was based on the novel sequel to the film adaptation of ''The Detective'', the studio was contractually obliged to offer Frank Sinatra the role. Sinatra, who was 70 at the time, declined.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/> The role was offered to various major stars including [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Richard Gere]], [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Harrison Ford]],<ref name="VultureRetro" /><ref name="DevOtherActors" /> [[Burt Reynolds]],<ref name="CastReynolds" /> [[Nick Nolte]], [[Mel Gibson]], [[Don Johnson]], [[Richard Dean Anderson]],<ref name="Independent1" /> [[Paul Newman]],<ref name="CastNewman" /> [[James Caan]],<ref name="DailyBeastCaan" /> and [[Al Pacino]].<ref name="AlPacino"/> The prevailing action archetype of the era was a muscle-bound, invincible macho man like [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], who was offered the role, but he wanted to branch out into comedy and turned it down to star in ''[[Twins (1988 film)|Twins]]'' (1988).<ref name=Independent1/> Willis was known mainly for his comedic role in the romantic comedy television series ''[[Moonlighting (TV series)|Moonlighting]]'', starring opposite [[Cybill Shepherd]]. He declined the role because of his contractual obligations to ''Moonlighting'', but when Shepherd became pregnant, the show's production was stopped for eleven weeks, giving Willis enough time to take the role.<ref name=Independent1/>

McTiernan's girlfriend had a chance meeting with a representative of [[CinemaScore]] and asked them for analysis of Willis as the star. Their analysis showed that casting Willis would not have a negative impact; his participation was confirmed two weeks later.<ref name="lawrence20160830"/> The choice was controversial as Willis had only starred in one other film, the moderately successful comedy ''[[Blind Date (1987 film)|Blind Date]]'' (1987).<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LATimesJuly03"/> At the time, there was also a clear distinction between film and television actors. Though films like ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' (1984) had demonstrated that television stars could lead a blockbuster film, other television actors like [[Shelley Long]] and [[Bill Cosby]] had failed in their recent attempts to make the transition.<ref name="VultureRetro"/><ref name="VultureJul16"/>

Willis received $5{{nbsp}}million for the role, giving him a salary comparable to more successful, established film actors like [[Dustin Hoffman]], [[Warren Beatty]], and [[Robert Redford]].<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath" /> 20th Century Fox president [[Leonard Goldberg]] justified the figure by saying ''Die Hard'' needed an actor of Willis's potential,<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath"/> and Gordon said that Willis's [[everyman]] persona was essential to conveying the idea that the hero could actually fail.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> Other Fox sources were reported as saying the studio was desperate for a star after being turned down by so many popular actors.<ref name="DevWillisSalary"/> Willis said, "They paid me what they thought I was worth for the film, and for them."<ref name="CloserWillis"/> He described the character as unlike the larger-than-life characters portrayed by Stallone or Schwarzenegger, saying "even though he's a hero, he is just a regular guy. He's an ordinary guy who's been thrown into extraordinary circumstances".<ref name="LATimesJuly03"/> Willis drew upon his working-class upbringing in [[South Jersey]] for the character, including "that attitude and disrespect for authority, that [[Black comedy|gallows sense of humor]], the reluctant hero".<ref name=Independent1/>

Rickman was already in his early 40s as he made his screen debut as Hans Gruber. He was cast by Silver, who had seen him perform in a Broadway version of ''[[Les Liaisons Dangereuses (play)|Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'', playing the villainous Vicomte de Valmont.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LegacyEmpire"/> Bedelia was cast at Willis's suggestion after he saw her in the 1983 biographical film ''[[Heart Like a Wheel (film)|Heart Like a Wheel]]''.<ref name="StartTVBedelia"/> VelJohnson appeared as Al Powell in his first major film role at the suggestion of casting director Jackie Burch, with whom he had worked previously. [[Robert Duvall]], [[Gene Hackman]], [[Laurence Fishburne]], and [[Wesley Snipes]] were considered for the role.<ref name="SlashFilmVelJohnson"/><ref name="MaximVelJohnson"/><ref name="SlashSnipes"/> Ellis is portrayed by Hart Bochner, an acquaintance of Silver. His role was shot in chronological order over three weeks. McTiernan had wanted the character to be suave like actor [[Cary Grant]], but Bochner conceived of the character's motivations coming from cocaine use and insecurity. McTiernan hated the performance initially until he noticed Gordon and Silver were entertained by Bochner's antics.<ref name="CastBochner"/>