The Zen of Bruce Willis: Action Star Talks New Baby, 'Die Hard 5' and 'Moonrise Kingdom'

May 21, 2012— -- As his latest film premiered at the year's Cannes film festival, Bruce Willis, who now has a 6-week-old daughter and is shooting the latest installment of the "Die Hard" franchise, says he is happier than ever.

Most male movie fans of a certain age know Willis as the sweat and bloodstained undershirt-sporting John McClane in the "Die Hard" films. But his latest, a whimsical indie from director Wes Anderson called "Moonrise Kingdom" is a bittersweet portrait of young love blooming, and adult love dying, that features a nuanced and heart-breaking performance from the action star.

"It's sad and sweet, but even sadder that these people have gotten to the age that they are and they still haven't figured it out," Willis told ABC News of the characters in the film.

On Finding Happiness

But has Willis, who just welcomed his fourth child into the world, figured it out yet?

"Well I've figured some things out for myself," he says. "I've figured out that this time anyway that keeping it simple is a lot, it just makes things a lot easier."

By this time he means his marriage to model and actress Emma Heming. Willis was of course famously married to Demi Moore, and the couple had three kids before they broke up in 2000.

"If you just put the kids first everything gets a lot easier. And know that they still need care and attention and love all the time," he says of making life work after divorce. "And put your own ego aside… ego is dead!"

Willis attended Moore and Ashton Kutcher's wedding in 2005, while his ex and her new husband attended when he married Heming. His happiness is growing.

"I am happier … Even happier that I was. I was already happy. But now I'm even more happy," Willis says.

Willis came to Cannes for the day from Budapest to promote, where he's back on set as McClane, filming "Die Hard 5." So, is he wearing the famous undershirt again?

"Yet to be seen," says Willis, who claims he keeps coming back to the role to try and trump the quality of the first "Die Hard" movie. "It's an interesting exercise," he says.

Raising His Daughters

Willis -- who saw some success as a singer in the 1980s, releasing a hit pop-blues record titled "The Return of Bruno" -- is now seeing two of his daughters take to the stage as singers. But he says that his crooning days are behind him.

"I've retired from singing," he says. "I sing to my youngest daughter now, that's the extent of it … she doesn't know what songs are yet, she just knows that she likes the sound of it."

Though he says he isn't giving his daughters musical direction, or whispering in their ears, he does occasionally offer minor romantic advice by "just telling them where the bad guys are."

The Simple Life

"Moonrise Kingdom," which deals with youth romance as it follows the story of two kids who fall in love, stars some acting heavyweights, including Oscar winners Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton, along with nominees Edward Norton and Bill Murray.

Willis says the young stars in the cast were less than intimidated to be working with such renowned thespians.

"I think they handled it okay. Much easier because I don't think they gave a s*** about who anybody else was," he says.

The movie, which is set on a remote New England island and the year is 1965, reminds Willis of his youth.

"I grew up in the '60s, so I remember how much simpler things were," he says. "And now I've come back around to it. Not just because of this film, but just [because] simpler is a lot easier."