Armageddon was one of the highest grossing films of the 1990s, despite its lead star, Bruce Willis, being forced to be in it. Michael Bay films are associated synonymously with action and explosions in the pop culture vernacular, and the space adventuring 1998 flick was one of the director's first major box office hits. With a star-studded cast of Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, and also featuring Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Michael Clarke Duncan in supporting roles, the film was a surefire success. However, Bruce Willis' role in the film came with a backstory one might not expect from an action star.

https://screenrant.com/bruce-willis-armageddon-casting-broadway-brawler-explained/