The Hollywood icon, Bruce Willis, has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease aphasia and is “stepping away” from his decades-long acting career.
In a statement on Instagram, the star’s family said Willis had been experiencing “health issues” and was diagnosed with aphasia. The condition is affecting his “cognitive abilities”, the statement said.
“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.
“We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.”
The statement is signed off by Willis’s wife Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn.
Willis was one of the most popular stars of his generation, starring in blockbuster franchises such as the television series Moonlighting and the Die Hard film series. He also made an appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s groundbreaking film Pulp Fiction. Over his four-decade career, Willis starred in approximately 100 films, he released three albums as a singer and starred in a number of Broadway musicals.
He won one Golden Globe Award and two Emmy Awards.
Willis was especially productive in recent years. In 2021, he appeared in eight films, and this year has starred in three releases. He completed another eight films set for release later this year and next year.
Debi Mazar commented, “We love Bruce so much ❤️ Sending love to him and your family. Bruce has given us sooo much! What an amazing career. May he rest and recover.”
What is aphasia?
Aphasia is a language disorder that robs people of their ability to speak and understand language.
Aphasia is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls language, expression and comprehension. It can occur suddenly after a stroke or head injury, or develop slowly from a growing brain tumour or disease.
Some people may never recover from aphasia, but they can learn new ways to communicate with the help of speech therapy.
Aphasia can lead to feelings of isolation and deprive people of their independence.
For an actor such as Willis, a diagnosis of aphasia must be particularly devastating. We wish him and his family all the very best at this difficult time.
