When it comes to top-notch actors in Hollywood, Bruce Willis is a name that many people would put on that list. He is most famous for his roles in action films but has also shown to have quite a diverse set of talents, appearing in films and television shows in a variety of genres and even showing off his skills as a singer. On top of that, Willis is also adored for his amazing qualities as a husband and father.

Willis was born as Walter Bruce Willis on March 19, 1955, in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. He grew up with a German mother and an American father, who was stationed in the United States military at the time of his birth. In 1957, the family moved to the United States and raised Willis in Penns Grove, New Jersey.

Willis discovered his passion for acting in his teens and began participating in his high school’s dramatic arts program. He later moved to New York City and appeared in a few off-Broadway plays before finally finding his footing in the world of television and film.

He had his breakthrough in 1985 with the TV series “Moonlighting,” and has since appeared in over 70 films. Some of his most loved performances include his short time on the sitcom “Friends,” his role in “The Sixth Sense,” and his role as John McClane in the “Die Hard” franchise.

In late March 2022, Willis announced that he was retiring from acting due to cognitive health issues. However, these issues were something that people had noticed in the past, sadly showcasing the actor’s decline.

Bruce Willis (1986), (Bob Riha, Jr./Archive Photos via Getty Images)

Willis has been a pivotal figure in the acting world for more than 40 years, which is why fans and loved ones were left heartbroken when they heard the news that he was retiring from the field. During his acting career, Willis appeared in a variety of films and television shows. Some of his most popular films include “Pulp Fiction,” “Armageddon,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Looper” and the “Die Hard” franchise.

As John McClane, Willis shaped the image of the American action hero. The dirty undershirt he wore as the character actually turned into a piece of cultural property and can now be seen in the National Museum of American History.

In his private life, Willis has had some ups and downs when it comes to finding love. He married two times and is the father of five daughters. Willis first married actress Demi Moore in 1987, and the two had three daughters together. Although the couple was regarded as a Hollywood powerhouse at the time, the marriage was not working out behind closed doors. Willis and Moore divorced in 2000, but they have remained good friends and great co-parents ever since.

In 2009, Willis married his second wife, model Emma Heming. Some of his wedding guests even included his ex-wife and her then-husband, Ashton Kutcher. To this day, Willis and Heming are still happily married and have two daughters together.

While many of his films brought him great fame and fortune, the “Die Hard” franchise is no doubt responsible for much of Willis’ wealth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he earned more than $50 million for all four movies and currently has an estimated net worth of $255 million.

Bruce Willis (2019), (Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty Images)

On March 30, 2022, the world was left heartbroken at the announcement of Willis’ retirement. Both Heming and Moore simultaneously revealed on their Instagram accounts that Willis was diagnosed with aphasia and therefore needed to take a step away from acting. On Feb. 16, 2023, Bruce’s family again pulled together to deliver a crushing update on the star’s health condition, explaining that the famed actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

However, according to Page Six, Willis had already been suffering cognitive issues prior to his family stepping in to care for him. Claims swirled on his film sets that he struggled to remember his lines and remember his marks. A source explained, “He was having cognitive problems, they all knew Bruce was having problems. Everybody knew, the cast and crew. His family has stepped in, they moved in to take care of him.”

Willis was using earpieces so he could have his lines fed to him while on set, according to Page Six. He was also reported to have used one back in 2015 for his Broadway debut in “Misery,” although sources stated this had more to do with Willis feeling “nervous” about script changes than anything else.

Willis also had a body double for many of his scenes in his few final films as “it was increasingly difficult to have him on screen,” the outlet reported. For one project, Willis was reported to have shot for only three days.

“It was becoming super obvious he was having trouble… he could not act anymore,” a source explained.

An in-depth Los Angeles Times article delved into more behind-the-scenes details on the sets of Willis’ last few films. Crew members revealed the star struggled to remember his lines and even set off a gun loaded with blanks on the wrong cue.

Bruce Willis (2019), (Ricky Vigil/GC Images via Getty Images)

Willis filmed many movies with producer and director Randall Emmett before his retirement. In the May 2023 documentary “The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump,” more details concerning Willis’ health struggles on set came to light. According to Alicia Haverland, a prop master on the set of the star’s 2021 film “Midnight in the Switchgrass,” while filming a scene in a diner set, Willis appeared to believe he was in an actual diner. According to Insider, Haverland recounted:

“I go over to repour the coffee, and we’re probably doing take number seven or eight, and he puts his hand on the coffee, looks me dead in the eye, and goes, ‘Oh no, ma’am, I don’t want anymore.’”

She said when she tried to explain they were filming, Willis appeared not to understand her and asked her if he had ordered more coffee. Describing the situation as “heartbreaking,” Haverland said in the end, she decided to pretend she was a real waitress.

Haverland confessed to feeling “immensely guilty” for not advocating for the star and that those working around him “should’ve said something.”

Haverland had previously told the Los Angeles Times that Willis’ health struggles were clear to see. “You would have to be blind to not see him struggling,” she told the outlet.

While some parties have come under fire for keeping mum on Willis’ struggles that should have kept him from filming, the actor’s lawyer came to his defense.

“My client continued working after his medical diagnosis because he wanted to work and was able to do so, just like many others diagnosed with aphasia who are capable of continuing to work. Because Mr. Willis appeared in those films, they could get financed. That resulted in literally thousands of people having jobs, many during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” he said.

Bruce Willis (2015), (Walter McBride/WireImage via Getty Images)

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