Action icon Bruce Willis looks set to call time on his career, with a statement from the Die Hard star’s family revealing that he is stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition which affects a person’s ability to communicate.
“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,” reads the statement from the Willis family. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” it continues. “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. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.”
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Although he’s found himself consigned to straight-to-video movies in recent years, Willis has enjoyed a phenomenally successful career since his early TV success on Moonlighting and breakthrough Hollywood role in Die Hard. His films have grossed over $5 billion worldwide, and include the likes of Look Who’s Talking, The Last Boy Scout, Death Becomes Her, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Sin City, The Expendables and Looper, among many others.
We’ve certainly been guilty of giving Bruce some grief with regards to his recent output these past few years, but we have always remained fans and his filmography really does speak for itself, with several iconic films and all-time classics standing out amid countless hours of entertainment. On behalf of everyone at Flickering Myth, we wish him and his family all the very best as he battles this awful condition.