Arnold Schwarzenegger Pays Glowing Tribute To Bruce Willis Following His Retirement
Arnold Schwarzenegger has praised his colleague Bruce Willis following his retirement from the silver screen over health issues.
Schwarzenegger said in an interview with CinemaBlend
I think that he’s fantastic. He was, always for years and years, is a huge, huge star. And I think that he will always be remembered as a great, great star. And a kind man. I understand that under his circumstances, health-wise, that he had to retire. But in general, you know, we never really retire. Action heroes, they reload.
Willis’ daughter Rumer said on Instagram last year that her father was “stepping away” from his work due to aphasia, a condition that impairs language skills.
“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,” she wrote. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
Willis has always been admired by Schwarzenegger. Author Nick de Semlyen describes how the Austrian actor “guffawed through a screening of the movie at Fox, not least at the moment when McClane exclaims, ‘They have missiles, automatic weapons, and enough plastic explosives to orbit Arnold Schwarzenegger!'” in his new book The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood’s Kings of Carnage.
Bruce Willis health
According to reports, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family said on Thursday, nearly a year after the ‘Die Hard’ franchise star retired from acting due to aphasia that hampered his cognitive abilities.
“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),” his family said in a statement posted on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration website.
“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 statement, to which the family attached a photo of a smiling Willis at the beach, said there are no current treatments for the disease. The family said that they hoped Willis’ diagnosis at the age of 67 would bring more focus to battling FTD.
“As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” the statement said.
