Bruce Willis, the actor best known for his role in the Die Hard movie franchise, is to retire from the industry after being diagnosed with Aphasia.
His family, through Instagram, released the sad news to Bruce’s fans and the entire entertainment industry, which attracted condolences from his peers and close associates.
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The post explained that Bruce Willis “had been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
The official statement continued: “This is a 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 concluded: “As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and we plan to do just that together.”
Bruce Willis hit our screens in the 80s for those born at least with low-level roles in movies such as Sidney Lumet’s “The Verdict.” But things started looking up for Bruce Willis after getting an opportunity to work with Cybill Shepherd in the ABC show, Moonlighting.
However, the actor’s career went to the moon when he appeared as John McClane in the 1988 hit movie “Die Hard.” This was Willi’s first major acting role in a film franchise and to say that he starred in it seems like an understatement.
The Die Hard film franchise spans over four decades, grossing over $5 billion worldwide. Willis has received recognition for his splendid acting roles, with five nominations for five Golden Globes, winning one for his appearance in Moonlighting. He’s also been nominated for three Emmy Awards, winning one for Moonlighting and another when he made a guest appearance on “Friends.”
Willis crossed different genres in the acting industry, picking up roles in action movies, dramas, and comedy movies. He played a key role in Pulp Fiction as “Butch Coolidge” one of the three main protagonists in the Quentin Tarantino film. Willis also starred in films such as The Fifth Element, Twelve Monkeys, The Last Boy Scout, Moonrise Kingdom, and Looper.
That’s not all; Willis was one of the most notable stars in the 1980s and 1990s and even made an appearance in family movie comedies. The macho even voiced a baby in the film “Look Who’s Talking,” followed by the sequel.
He also carved out a career as a singer, making three albums. Willis’s “Under the Boardwalk” cover surprisingly peaked at number two on the UK singles chart. The actor went further to play starring roles in a variety of stage productions, making his Broadway debut in 2015 with the production, “Revival of Misery.” If that doesn’t embody versatility, what does?
Bruce Willis had a 23-year marriage to fellow actor Demi Moore, and the couple had three beautiful daughters. He also has two daughters with his current wife, Emma Heming Willis.
Recently, Bruce Willis has appeared in blockbusters like the Expendables, next to his fellow 80s front actor, Sylvester Stallone. He also appeared in another big movie, “Reds.”
The actor starred in seven films in 2021, most notably, Apex, American Siege, Fortress, Survive the Game, Deadlock, and Out of Death. These action movies were not big hits but mid-level films that showed he’s still got it.
Eight films will be released in 2022 and 2023, such as “A Day to Die” and “Gasoline Alley.”
Aphasia is a serious medical condition when a patient suffers a head injury or experiences a stroke. According to Mayo Clinic, “the condition affects the patients’ ability to speak, write, or even understand verbal and written language.” “People with this condition speak in short and incomplete sentences, most of which don’t make sense.”
Furthermore, “the person can substitute one word for another or one sound for another, speak unrecognizable words, not understand other people’s conversation or write sentences that don’t make sense.” The condition is common in people over 65.
The actor has received lots of love and support from all over, including M. Knight Shymalan, Jack Posobiec, and Meghan McCain.
All my love and respect to my big brother Bruce Willis. I know his wonderful family is surrounding him with support and strength. He will always be that hero on that poster on my wall as kid.
— M. Night Shyamalan ⌛ (@MNightShyamalan) March 31, 2022
Bruce Willis news is so sad. What a talent.
Just remember – we never know how long we get in this life.
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) March 30, 2022
So much love, light, prayers, and strength to Bruce Willis, his wife, children, @justdemi and their entire family during this time.
Have faith, there is hope and incredible geniuses at Mayo Clinic and NIH who work in neurology & study brains. Breakthroughs truly happen every day
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 30, 2022
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Chris Mack
