Bruce Willis admits 'error of judgement' over face mask

Bruce Willis has starred in movies such as Die Hard, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable

Bruce Willis has admitted to making an "error of judgement" after reportedly being asked to leave a Los Angeles store for refusing to wear a face mask.

The Die Hard actor, 65, was pictured entering and leaving a California pharmacy without a face covering on Monday.

"It was an error in judgment," Willis told People magazine.

"Be safe out there everyone and let's continue to mask up," he added.

Last year, the mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti ordered that face coverings must be worn at all times outside of the home to help fight Covid-19, with certain exceptions - including children under two and people with certain disabilities.

Many people reacted to Willis's flouting of the regulation on Twitter, with some labelling him a "Covidiot".

ER doctor Cleavon MD re-posted the story to alert "all my healthcare providers in Los Angeles on the frontlines of the pandemic seeing countless patients die".

California, and in particular Los Angeles, has become one of the coronavirus hot spots in the US. Last month, the Golden State surpassed 2m recorded cases since the start of the pandemic.

US reporter Olivia Messer said "just pulling the bandana" or scarf he was wearing around his neck "over his nose" might have helped.

In October, Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, shared a photo of themselves and their two daughters wearing face masks outside.

TV writer Bryan Behar quipped that the Rite Aid pharmacy employee had "achieved what [Die hard antagonist] Hans Gruber couldn't - tossing Bruce Willis out of the building".