Bruce Willis’ family has revealed the beloved actor is stepping away from acting.
A joint statement shared on social media from the star’s family revealed that Willis has been diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder caused by brain damage.
According to Mayo Clinic, aphasia “is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate.”
“It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written.”
The group adds that the condition “typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative).”
“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,” the statement reads.
“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,” the statement 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.”
Willis’ acting career kicked off in the early 1980s, but he rose to prominence later that decade thanks to his role on the ABC drama series Moonlighting.
He played John McLane for the first time in Die Hard that same decade.
That movie blossomed into a franchise that grossed a lot of money worldwide.
Willis has been nominated for five Golden Globes and three Emmys during his career.
Other credits throughout Willis’ career include Armageddon, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, Sin City, and The Sixth Sense.
The star also has various movies in post-production.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
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