Although the announcement that action movie star Bruce Willis was retiring for health reasons may have come as a shock to the public, some Hollywood professionals report that they’ve been concerned about his well-being for years.
On Wednesday, Willis’ family released a statement on social media explaining that the famed actor had been diagnosed with aphasia, and that he would step away from acting. Aphasia is a disorder that impairs a person’s grasp of language and ability to communicate, and the post stated that Willis’ condition “is impacting his cognitive abilities.” This was the first public acknowledgment of any health concerns, but a new article from The LA Times details a number of incidents on film sets over the past few years that alerted some filmmakers and crew members to a difference in Willis’ behavior.
Willis starred in a number of poorly-received, low-budget films that were released in 2021, including Out of Death. Mike Burns, director of the movie, took steps to reduce Willis’ screen time and abbreviate his dialogue, as shown in an email he wrote to the screenwriter in 2020. Other individuals who were on set with Willis for various projects reported seeing him struggle to remember his lines and appearing confused about his surroundings. He was given an assistant who would feed him dialogue through an earpiece, and a body double often took his place in action scenes.
Many of those who were working with Willis expressed their sympathy for his plight, with one crew member on the upcoming White Elephant quoted as saying, “It was less of an annoyance and more like: ‘How do we not make Bruce look bad?’… Someone would give him a line and he didn’t understand what it meant. He was just being puppeted.”
White Elephant director Jesse V. Johnson stated that after filming had concluded, “…It was decided as a team that we would not do another,” noting that, “We are all Bruce Willis fans, and the arrangement felt wrong and ultimately a rather sad end to an incredible career, one that none of us felt comfortable with.”
Burns also recalled having doubts about returning to direct Willis in Wrong Place. He then refused to take part in any further projects after seeing that the actor’s condition had worsened. “I am relieved that he is taking time off,” Burns concluded.
Willis, who is now 67, has had a storied career as an action film hero. The centerpiece of his filmography is generally considered the Die Hard series, in which he played the unflinchingly resilient John McClane, but he is also known for major stand-alone hits such as The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable and The Fifth Element.
Source: LA Times
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