Bruce Willis’ family first revealed he was battling ‘health issues’ in 2022, before later revealing that the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Subsequently, relatives of the 70-year-old Die Hard actor announced he would be ‘stepping away’ from his career and have since been offering updates on his condition as it develops.
They first announced the specifics of his condition in an Instagram post shared by his daughter, Rumer Willis, in 2023.
Rumer – who the star shares with his former partner, actress Demi Moore – penned a message explaining: ‘Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.
‘In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
‘Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
‘Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.’
Since this initial announcement, Bruce’s family has shared regular updates about the actor, often thanking fans for their support.
His wife, Emma Heming Willis, also shared in 2024 that she is writing a book about their family’s experience with Bruce’s disease. The book is scheduled to be released on September 9, 2025.
What is frontotemportal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia, aka FTD, is a less common form of dementia usually diagnosed in people aged 45-65, whereas dementia mostly affects people over 65.
The degenerative disease primarily affects communication and behaviour, as opposed to memory, like other types of dementia.
According to the NHS, signs of frontotemporal dementia can include:
- Personality and behaviour changes – acting inappropriately or impulsively, appearing selfish or unsympathetic, neglecting personal hygiene, overeating, or loss of motivation
- language problems – speaking slowly, struggling to make the right sounds when saying a word, getting words in the wrong order, or using words incorrectly
- problems with mental abilities – getting distracted easily, struggling with planning and organisation
- memory problems – these only tend to occur later on, unlike more common forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease
There may also be physical problems, such as slow or stiff movements, loss of bladder or bowel control (usually not until later on), muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing.
Emma and Bruce have been married since 2009 and share daughters Mabel Ray Willis, 13, and Evelyn Penn Willis, 11.
Bruce also shares three daughters with his ex-wife Demi Moore, with whom he was married from 1987 to 2000: daughters Rumer Glenn Willis, 36, Scout LaRue Willis, 34, and Tallulah Belle Willis, 31.
Recently, reports have been circulating that Bruce is no longer able to walk or talk, though the family has not verified these claims, and it remains unclear if there’s any truth to them.
Here’s what we know so far about the star’s condition.
Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis timeline
Bruce Willis’s family revealed he would be ‘stepping away’ from his acting career due to health issues.
The Willis family shared that the actor had recently been diagnosed with aphasia and said it had been a ‘really challenging time’ for them.
The change in the actor’s condition was announced by his family via a social media post that read: ‘Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
‘Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.’
The actor rang in another year surrounded by his family a month after his diagnosis announcement.
In a video posted by his former wife, Demi, the Hollywood star could be seen singing happy birthday alongside his children and his wife Emma Heming, before blowing out the candles on an apple pie.
Bruce’s wife Emma said that it was ‘hard to know’ if the actor was fully aware of his condition.
Giving an update on her husband’s health to NBC’s Today programme, she explained: ‘I think it was the blessing and the curse, to sort of finally understand what was happening, so that I can be into the acceptance of what is.’
Asked if her husband knows what is going on and if his condition is something he is aware of, she said: ‘Hard to know, it’s hard to know.’
In an interview with Town & Country, Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, revealed that Bruce’s symptoms first began as language changes, which initially didn’t cause alarm as he had a childhood stutter.
‘As his language started changing, it (seemed like it) was just a part of a stutter, it was just Bruce. Never in a million years would I think it would be a form of dementia for someone so young,’ she said.
Appearing on CNN, Demi Moore, who was married to Bruce from 1987 until they separated in 1998, shared an update on his health.
‘He’s in a very stable place at the moment,’ she said. ‘I’ve shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely — it’s so important for anybody who’s dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at.’
In a separate interview around the same time, Tallulah Willis, his youngest daughter with Moore, told the Today show: ‘He’s doing stable, which, in this situation is good and is hard. There’s painful days, but there’s so much love.’
The actor celebrated his 70th birthday in March 2025 with his daughters, granddaughter, ex-wife Demi Moore, and wife Emma Heming Willis by his side.
Moore shared a series of photos of the actor at the gathering. Willis can be seen hugging and kissing his family, evidently still aware of who they are to him and capable of interacting with them.
Rumer shared an emotional message to Bruce on father’s day this year, implying he can no longer communicate effectively with his family.
‘Today is hard, I feel a deep ache in my chest to talk to you and tell you everything I’m doing and what’s going on in my life,’ Rumer wrote in a June 15 post alongside photos of her dad. ‘To hug you and ask you about life and your stories and struggles and successes.’
Rumer continued: ‘I know you wouldn’t want me to be sad today so I’ll try to just be grateful reminding myself how lucky I am that you’re my dad.’
Bruce’s daughter Tallulah Willis spoke out after some social media users responded negatively to the 31-year-old sharing a photo of her dad.
‘As a family we use our discretion when posting,’ she wrote back to a fan who shared criticism under the June 23 post. ‘Today was a great day filled with smiles. I made the judgement call to show that to the world, because I know what he means to everyone.’
Rumours began to circulate online this month that Willis’ condition has progressed to the point he can no longer speak or walk. This information has never been directly verified by his family or any other official source.
While the specifics of the way Bruce’s condition has progressed remain unknown, it’s clear that he has plenty of support from both his family and his legion of devoted fans.
A version of this article was first published on September 26, 2023.
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