Bruce Willis Retires from Acting due to Aphasia Diagnosis

Hollywood star Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects a person's ability to speak and write.

The actor's family, including his wife Emma Heming-Willis and former wife Demi Moore, announced Wednesday the news on Instagram.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="976"] Willis celebrates the book launch of Demi Moore's memoir with their three daughters and his wife, Emma (second from right)[/caption]

The actor's family, including his wife Emma Heming-Willis and former wife Demi Moore, announced Wednesday the news on Instagram.

"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," they said in a joint statement.

The statement continued: "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,".

"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," the statement concluded.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in "Moonlighting"[/caption]

Willis, 67, began his acting career in the early 1980s but he did not become a household name until later in that decade.

He rose to fame after starring opposite Cybill Shepherd in the ABC TV series "Moonlighting" and through his role as John McClane in the 1988 movie "Die Hard", the latter grew into a six-part franchise.

Willis also won plaudits for his roles in movies such as "Pulp Fiction", "The Fifth Element", "The Last Boy Scout", "Twelve Monkeys", "The Sixth Sense"," Looper", "Moonrise Kingdom", "Armageddon", "Red", and "The Expendables".

The acclaimed actor was one of the most bankable stars of the 1980s and 1990s. He got nominated for five Golden Globes, winning one for "Moonlighting", and three Emmys, winning two.

Willis has also made three albums as a singer – his cover of Under the Boardwalk got to No 2 in the UK singles chart – and starred in multiple stage productions, making his Broadway debut in 2015 with a revival of "Misery".

The veteran actor was married to the actor Demi Moore for 23 years; they share three daughters. He also has two other daughters with his second wife, Emma Heming Willis.

Willis is set to appear in eight movies between 2022 and 2023.