Bruce Willis has responded to the backlash after he was photographed without a mask while visiting a pharmacy in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, Page Six broke the story that Willis had entered a Rite Aid, where he was asked to leave because he wasn't wearing a mask. He reportedly "refused" to mask up and exited without making a purchase. Pictures of the Jan. 10 incident were included in the story, which showed the 65-year-old actor dressed casually, in a hat and scarf to go with a jacket, but with no facial covering.

Bruce Willis's statement after maskless incident in L.A.

Following the release of the story, Willis trended on Twitter, as many users criticized his careless decision and made light of it by referencing his popular movies such as Die Hard and The Sixth Sense.

Willis evidently heard the noise, because within a few hours he released a statement to People magazine, expressing remorse. "It was an error in judgment," Willis said. "Be safe out there everyone and let's continue to mask up," the brief statement concluded.

Bruce Willis in 2021

Prior to the maskless meltdown, fans of the Die Hard actor had been enjoying his video-on-demand films and family updates in lockdown. In 2020, Willis appeared in Hard Kill, Survive the Night, and Breach.

Willis is now in his second marriage, to Emma Heming, with whom he has two daughters. But he's also spent time in lockdown with his ex, Demi Moore, and their three daughters, and the blended family gathered for Father's Day 2020.

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