According to those who have worked with the elder Willis on his recent films, the actor has been exhibiting signs of decline in recent years. But not all types of aphasia lead to dementia, and some are better understood than others. Nine years ago, Bruce Willis seemed to be primed for a career renaissance. Mike Burns, who directed Willis in Out of Death (2021), was unaware of the severity of Willis impairment when he was tasked with drastically compressing the stars dialogue. The family of Bruce Willis shared that the actor is retiring following a diagnosis of aphasia. The cognitive disorder affects a persons ability to communicate and often develops in individuals who have suffered strokes. CNN Bruce Willis is suffering from a medical condition that is affecting his cognitive abilities and will be taking a break from acting, his family shared Wednesday. But the most common cause of aphasia is a stroke and is most likely to affect people aged over 65. "As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that.". Born in Germany where his American soldier dad David was based, he grew up in Penns Grove, New Jersey. Bruce issued a lawsuit stating the incident had caused extreme mental, physical and emotional pain and suffering.. Demi is, in many ways, still Bruce's closest and maybe only friend, especially since a lot of the men he came up with within the business have moved onto their own retirements. After OK! Theyve had years to brace themselves for his retirement, and everybody says they are so proud of Bruce that he was able to work this long after first becoming ill and addressing his symptoms.". The degenerative condition, which his family revealed is the reason for his difficulties, can be permanent or temporary. BRUCE Willis' friends fear his aphasia battle may be linked to injuries he suffered when he was allegedly hit in the head by a pyrotechnic device on set, The Sun can report. Johnny Depp Retirement from acting career at 67. Mr. Willis's family didn't disclose what led to his diagnosis. Eads, who began working with Willis as his assistant in the 1990s, served as his on-set handler. Bruce Willis is known for his work-filled activity on Die Hard and its spin-offs, Pulp Fiction, The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, 12 Monkeys and a few more. Bruce Willis revealed in late March that he's retiring from acting due to aphasia. Aphasia occurs when there is an insult to the brain that affects the language structures, says Dr David Foxe, a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher with the Frontier Research Group at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney. Aphasia has threatened to rob film fans of Hollywood's most die-hard action hero. Its like, I have brain damage; youll just have to deal with it.. Bruce Willis poses for photographers upon arrival in early January 2019 at the premiere of the film "Glass" in London. Back in April 2020, Bruce revealed he was staying with Demi and their daughters inIdahowhile Emma and their daughters were inLos Angeles. Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in 2019. He was just being puppeted.. FOR his legions of fans, it was a shock to hear Bruce Willis announcing his retirement but it came as no surprise to those who worked with the action movie legend. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Burns went on to direct another film with Bruce, but after wrapping said he felt he could not longer work with him. However, in the case of PPA, while speech therapy will maintain communication skills for longer, there is no cure. On Wednesday, the family of action star Bruce Willis announced that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia, causing him to step . BRUCE Willis secretly struggled with brain issues for nearly 20 years before his family revealed he has been diagnosed with aphasia, sources exclusively told The Sun. Foxe, who is a specialist in primary progressive aphasia, says aphasia can cause problems with the ability to converse, articulate complicated words or put together a string of sentences. A DIVISION OF EMPIRE MEDIA GROUP HOLDINGS LLC. But when the filmmaker and the actor met briefly before shooting began in Georgia last April, it was clear that he was not the Bruce I remembered, Johnson said. According to the National Aphasia Assn., the condition is an acquired communication disorder that impairs the ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence. 4 Sometimes when you were talking to him, he just seemed sidetracked and we would think it would mean nothing but you would wonder if there are other things going on., Colleagues on low-budget flick White Elephant also told how the Die Hard star appeared to be confused, asking two crew members: I know why youre here, and I know why youre here, but why am I here?. CELEBS UNDER FIRE FOR PARTYING AMID COVID-19JUSTIN BIEBER, KENDALL JENNER & MORE! In one disturbing incident on the 2020 set of Hard Kill, Willis fired a gun blank on the wrong cue, rattling the cast and crew, according to people with knowledge of the mishap. The family of Bruce Willis announced Wednesday that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia, a neurological condition that affects a person's ability to understand and communicate with. In recent years, Willis worked primarily for two film production companies: Los Angeles-based Emmett/Furla Oasis and 308 Entertainment Inc., a Vancouver company backed by actor and producer Corey Large, according to IMDb.com. TTS (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome) is anovel, and distinct illness. It said that Bruce had recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which means he has to step away from the career that has meant so much to him.. 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Bruce Willis, the film star known for his roles in "Die Hard" and "Pulp Fiction," will step away from his decades-long movie career in the wake of a recent aphasia diagnosis.His ex-wife . Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in 2019. Copyright 2023 OK!. It's perhaps the worst medical condition for an actor. Researchers are looking into new types of speech therapy and noninvasive methods such as a procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain cells. This has been an almost eighteen-year journey from first noticing that something was wrong to Bruce finally accepting that he has to transition. After our experience on White Elephant, it was decided as a team that we would not do another, Johnson said. without a mask covering his mouth at a pharmacy, OK! Though he has appeared in more than 70 films since he began acting in the 1970s, Willis is still best recognized for playing detective John McClane in the Die Hard franchise. Alongside a throwback photo of Bruce, Rumer wrote: "ToBrucesamazing 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. ", Noel expanded on his relationship with Bruce in a heartfelt Instagram post in which he added: "My thoughts go out to Bruce Willis and his family during this difficult time.". Email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 0207 782 4220 . Read more explainers here. Bruces everyman cab driver Korben Dallas gets caught up in a cosmic battle to save the universe in this must see cult sci-fi movie. Burnout may be changing your . This week, Bruce's family- including wife Emma Heming, ex Demi Moore and daughter Rumer, 33- shared the medical diagnosis with his fans, and announced that the actor would be stepping away from his career. Insiders revealed the inevitable moment of saying farewell to his glittering career has been a long time coming. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with the language disorder aphasia, his family announced Wednesday. During the holiday season, Bruce spent Christmas with Emma and their two daughters, Mabel, 8, and Evelyn, 6. Eskandari did not respond to calls seeking comment, but a second crew member said he remembered Kent being shaken that day. HuffPost did not immediately hear back from a rep for Willis. Mike Burns, director of 2021 action thriller Out Of Death, reportedly told the films screenwriter to keep Bruces lines short and sweet.. Willis, whose decadeslong fame began on TVs Moonlighting and accelerated through films like Pulp Fiction and The Sixth Sense, appeared in dozens of films in the last few years, according to IMDb. The actors contracts stipulated that he was not to work more than eight hours a day, but he often stayed for only four, according to production sources. A stroke, tumor, head injury or other damage to the language centers of the brain can cause aphasia. The actor's loved ones have shared numerous updates and memories in the 11 months since he was first diagnosed with aphasia The longtime action star had taken on some unorthodox roles in a pair of offbeat projects that were paying off nicely.. Whether it is his off duty John McClane firing a machine gun while crossing shattered glass bare-footed or lighting up a claustrophobic duct, Bruce is never anything less than grippingly cool. Hollywood superstar Bruce Willis has been spotted with his family more often these days and theres a telling reason why he's spending so much QT with his kids. In addition, actor Adam Huel Potter was guaranteed bit roles in Willis films and served as Willis prompter, providing the actor his lines through the ear piece. The star, who retired from acting due to aphasia, showed signs of impairment in multiple movies, according to a report. In 2015, Bruce was seen wearing an earpiece to feed him lines when he made his Broadway debut in Misery alongside Laurie Metcalf. As Bruce always says, Live it up and together we plan to do just that.. Potter did not respond to inquiries from The Times about this arrangement. including a stroke, head injury, brain tumor, infection or dementia. Bruce has worked with his slowly worsening condition for years, but it stopped being something anybody wanted to hide anymore. In a statement, Bruce apologized for his actions, saying: It was an error in judgment. Celebrities who have spoken about the disorder include Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, who experienced aphasia after having an aneurysm in 2011, while actor Sharon Stone had aphasia after a stroke in 2001. One of Willis final larger-scale films, Paradise City, was filmed on the Hawaiian island of Maui last May, after the pandemic delayed production for a year. LGBTQ Even a pacifist would get violent if someone were trying to kill him or her. Legal experts weigh in, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, This isnt Rocky: How Michael B. Jordan seized the reins of a legendary franchise, Why Edward Bergers teen daughter got the last word on All Quiet on the Western Front. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of Americas Favorite Guilty Pleasure.. Scout previouslyrevealedhow Bruce and Demi weretemporarily quarantined togetherduring a podcast. We look forward to continuing our long relationship with you on these and other films to come, read the deal sent to Eads by Emmett, the chief executive of the production company. The group behind the Razzie Awards, which each year compiles a list of the industrys worst films, in February created an entire category for Willis films. They stated that he was happy to be there, but that it would be best if we could finish shooting him by lunch and let him go early, Johnson recalled of the conversation. As a result, the Sixth Sense and Die Hard star is stepping away from acting, his loved ones said in a heartfelt statement. She was the lead reporter for The Times coverage of the deadly Rust shooting on a New Mexico film set in 2021, work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize board as a finalist in breaking news. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Today's Savannah Guthrie abruptly leaves show after scary new medical diagnosis, Sam Champion says final goodbye to colleague with touching tribute, GMA's Ginger Zee warns viewers as she delivers 'severe' and 'damaging' news, Priscilla Presley will be 'leading the charge' for Elvis movie at Oscars, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Bruce Willis, 67, was allegedly injured in an on-set accident in 2002, He sued the production company after his head was struck by a projectile, Bruce's head was hit with a projectile in Tears of the Sun- he later sued, Lots of support & love: Bruce's family has rallied around the actor in his diagnosis. The guy guided Bruce everywhere, one crew member on 2020s Hard Kill said of Eads. His family explained that he is suffering from "cognitive" issues. Bruce Willis' family has announced the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia and is "stepping away" from his career due to the diagnosis. Aphasia is classified as an "acquired neurogenic language . Bruce has won a number of impressive awards throughout his career, including a Golden Globe and twoEmmys. The friend said: "The changes became noticeable about five years ago. She's an amazing woman and created a support system so that Bruce could keep acting and Emma could keep him comfortable and happy. A brain infection or Alzheimers disease can trigger it. Causes can include a stroke, a tumor or a severe brain injury. Coming from a military family, he even considered signing up for the armed forces following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. The least known and understood cause of aphasia is primary progressive aphasia, a rare type of younger-onset dementia. Bruce Willis is taking a break from acting due to a brain disorder called aphasia, "which is impacting his cognitive abilities," his family announced Wednesday . Bruce sparked controversy when he was spotted without a mask covering his mouth at a pharmacy in California on Monday, January 11. Bruces family put out a joint statement on their individual Instagram accounts on Wednesday alongside a picture of the star. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. And what treatment is available? You would fight for your life, whatever your beliefs.. While filming Glass [in 2019], staffers worked around him by cutting and editing and having him overdub lines because he struggled to remember and/or deliver them, an insider reveals. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a patients ability to express and understand written and spoken language. Bruce Williss announced in March 2022 that he had aphasia, before he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia 10 months later. By Saba Hamedy. On Wednesday, the 67-year-old's family said he will retire from acting because he has aphasia. I think he's fantastic.". Willis family issued a statement Wednesday on the actors status but did not reveal the possible cause of his aphasia, which can result from a stroke or head injury. A brain disorder that leads to problems with speaking, reading and writing has sidelined actor Bruce Willis and drawn attention to a little-known condition that has many possible causes. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. In a statement, Emmett said: I fully support Bruce and his family during this challenging time and admire him for his courage in battling this difficult medical condition. . The 67-year-old's announcement did not contain details about his diagnosis, but Dr. Mark Alberts, co-physician-in-chief of the Hartford HealthCare . According to the National Aphasia Assn., the 64-year-old Basic Instinct star also experienced speech impediments, including a stutter and aphasia, as a result of the aneurysm. After we finished, I said: Im done. His longtime stunt double, Stuart F. Wilson. Multiple movies, according to a report, File ), Connect with the disorder... Tts ( thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome ) is anovel, and distinct illness therapy will maintain communication for. Mouth at a pharmacy, OK and spoken language acting and Emma could keep acting and Emma could keep and! Sin City not immediately hear back from a military family, he considered!, it was decided as a procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate cells..., but a second crew member on 2020s Hard kill said of eads family of Bruce Willis stepping! 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