Most famous for his tough guy roles in action films like “Die Hard” and “The Expendables,” Bruce Willis was recently honored with an award by the American Institute for Stuttering in New York. His personal revelations for the audience were the highlight of the night.

“It’s easy to get frustrated with a child who stutters, but believe me, the one who stutters is much more frustrated.”

Presented with his award by his wife, he not only had words of encouragement for the audience and young people dealing with stuttering, but managed to open up in a way he rarely does.

“The hardest thing I remember was being a kid stuttering. My advice to the people in this room is to never let anyone make you feel like an outcast, because you will never be an outcast,” Willis said, tearing up in front of the crowd. He then quoted Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Though many were unaware, Willis has struggled with stuttering since he was a kid. He admitted in the 2001 biography “Bruce Willis: Overcoming Adversity” that he had long been reluctant to discuss his painful early memories.

Finding he could better control his speech through acting, Willis embraced the art and its ability to help him express himself. It was still a long road, however. He was working with speech therapists while attending Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.

“There was a lot of bullying in my life, and I had to fight my way out,” Willis told The Hollywood Reporter after winning the award. “Kids get mean.”

Only recently have the trials and tribulations of stuttering entered pop culture, in films such as the 2010 Best Picture winner “The King’s Speech” and the recent release “The Conjuring 2,” which also includes a young character coping with a stutter.

[lz_third_party includes=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRPTqsO_SoM”]

The “Die Hard” actor was not the only public figure that night to open up about stammering issues.

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Vice President Joe Biden gave a speech at the gala, and after revealing his stutter to the audience and receiving a few chuckles, he harshly said, “I resent the laughter. Think about it. Stuttering is the only thing people think they can laugh at. If I was up here talking about having a cleft palate and had it operated on, or had a withered arm or was partially paralyzed, no one would make fun of me at all.”

Last year musician Ed Sheeran spoke at this same gala, a winner himself. After speaking about the same sort of social troubles as Willis and Biden did, Sheeran said, “Having things that make you different help you become an interesting person.”

“Looper” and “Edge of Tomorrow” actress Emily Blunt was in attendance when Sheeran was honored and revealed her own issues. “It can be mistaken for a learning disability, an anxious sensibility, or a weakness. It’s not true to your real character; it’s just that you’re limited in your ability to speak,” she told THR.

[lz_infobox]The night ended with $700,000 in funds raised for the organization, including $100,000 from Willis.[/lz_infobox]

Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation of America, believes that celebrities talking about their childhood struggles are helpful for people with stutters.

“Their courage has given the stuttering community every reason to keep their heads up, their smiles wide, and to feel comfortable with the way they are,” she told LifeZette.

In his emotional speech, Willis talked directly to parents in the room, giving words of encouragement: “It’s easy to get frustrated with a child who stutters. But believe me, the one who stutters is much more frustrated. Be patient. Always listen. Offer encouragement. Give positive reinforcement always.”