Summary
The Sixth Sensestar Haley Joel Osment reflects on his time working with Bruce Willis on the set of the popular psychological thriller. Written anddirected by M. Night Shyamalan,The Sixth Senserevolves around a child psychologist named Dr. Malcolm Crowe as he works with a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Willis plays Crowe in the classic thriller, while the young boy was played by Osment, a 10-year-old at the time. Even now, the movie remains a memorable credit for both actors.
Now, almost 25 years after the release ofThe Sixth Sense, Osment speaks toPeopleabout the psychological thriller, as well as his time working with Willis.The 36-year-old reveals that it was very inspiring to work with the veteran actor,whom he believes is always going to be a bonafide movie star. Read his full comment below:
He’s always going to be what a movie star is in my mind. And having that charisma and gravitas, and being able to come onto a set and to work with a 10-year-old, and to be really generous with his time — I got very lucky. … To see someone like Bruce do that, that’s really been inspiring to me. That whatever position you have in the industry, everybody is on the same page.
The Sixth Sense Effectively Launched Haley Joel Osment’s Career
Osment Has Built A Successful Career For Himself
Prior to starring in the classicShyamalan thriller, Osment had appeared in a number of bit part roles. He played the role of Forrest Gump Jr. in Robert Zemeckis’ award-winning comedy-drama before later landing a voice role in 1997’sBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmasas the anthropomorphic cup Chip. Osment’s breakthrough, however, came inThe Sixth Sense,with his performance earning considerable acclaim.
While critics and audiences lauded different aspects of the thriller, especially Shyamalan’s clever use of gore as well asThe Sixth Sense’s twist ending, Osment’s performance as Cole Sear is what stood out the most. The then-10-year-old received high praise from different corners,eventually earning an Academy Award nomination for his impressive performance. Though he lost the Oscar, he won other accolades for the part. As a young performer, his ability to portray Cole’s fear and heavy emotions made him a standout.
Osment lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to Michael Caine, who won for his performance inThe Cider House Rules.
Why The Sixth Sense Is Still M. Night Shyamalan’s Best Twist
M. Night Shyamalan is well known for his twist endings, but he has never managed to outdo the shocking twist ending of The Sixth Sense.
Following Osment’s performance inThe Sixth Sense,he went on to establish himself as an extremely gifted actor, gaining further success in movies like Mimi Leder’sPay It ForwardandSecondhand Lions. While Osment’s work onThe Sixth Senserightly received a lot of praise, his performance was made much better because of his seamless onscreen rapport with Willis, who equally impressed in the movie. The thriller also began a fruitful actor-director working relationship between Shyamalan and Willis, who went on to collaborate on other projects likeUnbreakableandGlass.
The Sixth Sense
Cast
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.
