Bruce Willis’ daughter Tallulah provides new health update following dementia diagnosis

Virgin Radio

9 Nov 2023, 15:05

Bruce Willis’ daughter Tallulah has shared a new update on her father’s health as he continues his battle with dementia. 

Hollywood legend Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia in March 2022, after which his family said that his condition “progressed” and a more “specific diagnosis” of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) was given in February of this year. FTD impacts cognitive problems and can affect behaviour, personality, speech and movement.

During a rare appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on Wednesday (8th November), Tallulah revealed how her father is currently doing, a month on from fans learning he was “not totally verbal”. 

“He is the same, which I think in this regard I’ve learned is the best thing you can ask for,” she explained (via People). “I see love when I’m with him. It’s my dad and he loves me, which is really special.”

Tallulah and her family have been candidly open about Bruce’s struggle with the progressive disease, and when asked why, she replied: “I think it’s two-fold. On one hand, it’s who we are as a family, but also, it’s really important for us to spread awareness about FTD.

“If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family, and individually, to help other people, to turn it around to make something beautiful about it, that’s really special for us.”

Tallulah’s emotional revelation comes just after Bruce’s friend and Moonlighting creator Glenn Gordon Caron admitted the star is no longer “verbal.”

Die Hard star Willis shot to fame in ABC TV series alongside co-star Cybill Shepherd from 1985-1989. The comedy drama was recently added to Hulu and Disney+ streaming services.

Caron told The New York Post: “I know he’s really happy that the show is going to be available for people, even though he can’t tell me that. When I got to spend time with him we talked about it and I know he’s excited.

“The process [to get ‘Moonlighting’ onto Hulu] has taken quite a while and Bruce’s disease is a progressive disease, so I was able to communicate with him, before the disease rendered him as incommunicative as he is now, about hoping to get the show back in front of people. I know it means a lot to him.”

Although Bruce can recognise him, he can't speak. Caron said: “My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am. He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader — he didn’t want anyone to know that — and he’s not reading now. 

“All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce.”