MovieChat Forums > Blind Date (1987) Discussion > Was Kim Basinger really considered a big...

Was Kim Basinger really considered a bigger star than Bruce Willis back in 1987?

posted 5 years ago by TMC-4 (20487)
3 replies | jump to latest

In hindsight, I do find it extremely odd that she was billed first. Even in Blind Date, Willis was pretty much indisputably in the lead role and had more screen time. I suppose at the time, the general feeling was that Bruce Willis was still primarily known to the public as a TV actor through Moonlighting. And he was still a year away from his real big cinematic breakthrough with Die Hard. Kim Basinger on the other hand, was at that point, already established as a screen actress.

https://people.com/archive/cover-story-here-comes-87-vol-27-no-1/

https://www.tampabay.com/30-years-ago-this-move-changed-our-minds-about-blind-dates/2316817/

https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/57564

http://bigfanboy.com/wp/?p=22104

[–] johnmiller (4011) 5 years ago

On the poster, they did that "billed equally" thing, where they are both listed at the same time. Kim is on the left, but lower, while Bruce is on the right, but higher.

[–] xergan (1084) 2 years ago

Basinger just came from 9 1/2 Weeks fame, which made her pretty popular, especially in Europe. Also before that of course was Never Say Never Again, which made her als quite popular. Based on the bond girls, she had a quite good presence already in the movie.

[–] LetoAtreides (576) 2 years ago

Willis was a TV actor before his big break in Die Hard in 1988.