Bruce Willis to Step Away From Acting Due to Aphasia Diagnosis
Condition can affect cognitive function, including ability to speak or write
Bruce Willis, seen in 2019, started his career in the 1980s.PHOTO: ANGELA WEISS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
By Joseph Pisani Follow
Updated March 30, 2022 2:59 pm ET
Actor Bruce Willis is stepping away from his career after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that can affect the ability to speak or write, his family said in a series of Instagram posts Wednesday.
“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” said a statementsigned by his family members.
The same statement and photo of Mr. Willis was posted on the Instagram accounts of his wife Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore, and three of his five daughters, Rumer Willis, Scout Willis and Tallulah Willis.
Aphasia can be caused by several things, according to the Mayo Clinic, including a stroke, head injury or degenerative disease. The family didn’t disclose the cause of Mr. Willis’s disease in its statement and didn’t say how long he will step away from his career for.
Mr. Willis, who is 67 years old, started his career in the 1980s and went on to star in Hollywood blockbusters, including “The Sixth Sense,” “Armageddon,” and the “Die Hard” movies.
“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” Mr. Willis’s family said in the statement. “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.”
Representatives for Mr. Willis didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Write to Joseph Pisani at joseph.pisani@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications
Bruce Willis’s wife is Emma Heming Willis. An earlier version of this article spelled her name incorrectly as Emma Hemming Willis. (Corrected on March 30)
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