Bruce Willis, 67, will be “stepping away” from his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia, according to social media posts shared by his family members on Wednesday. 

What You Need To Know

  • Bruce Willis, 67, will be “stepping away” from his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia, according to social media posts shared by his family members

  • Aphasia is a condition that impacts an individual’s cognitive abilities, and can impact speech, including the capacity to understand verbal and written language

  • Aphasia can stem from a number of factors, and the severity of the condition depends on the cause, be it a sudden head injury or stroke or a degenerative issue 

“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,” Rumer Willis, the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, wrote in part. “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,” she added. “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.” 

Moore, who also shares daughters Scout LaRue Willis and Tallulah Belle Willis with her former husband, divorced Bruce Willis in 2000, but the two have remained close in the two decades since. The “Disclosure” actress shared a happy birthday message to her former husband on Instagram just last week, saying she was “thankful for our blended family.”

Bruce Willis married Emma Heming in 2009, and the couple share daughters Mabel and Evelyn.

Willis, whose prolific career has seen him appear in well over 100 movies, is known for his leading roles in films including the “Diehard” franchise, the highly-acclaimed psychological thriller “The Sixth Sense,” “Unbreakable,” “Pulp Fiction” and more. 

Aphasia is a condition that impacts an individual’s cognitive abilities, and can impact speech, including the capacity to understand language, both verbal and written. Aphasia often “robs you of the ability to communicate,” per the Mayo Clinic. 

Aphasia can stem from a number of factors, and the severity of the condition depends on the cause, be it a sudden head injury or stroke or a longer-term degenerative issue, like a tumor or other growth. The main treatment for symptoms of aphasia, once the root cause has been addressed, is typically speech therapy. 

Aphasia can manifest in different ways in various patients, and can include an individual speaking unrecognizable words, speaking in short sentences, not understanding normal conversation or substituting words for others.

Willis' family members did not clarify what may have caused the actor's aphasia, nor did they expand on the severity of the actor's condition beyond saying his cognitive abilities had been impacted.