Who is Bruce Willis? A look at his career, notable roles and health journey

In July 2025, Bruce Willis’s family confirmed that the actor no longer remembers his career in film, due to the progression of frontotemporal dementia, a neurological condition that affects areas of the brain responsible for language, behavior, and decision-making.

The diagnosis was first shared publicly in 2023, following his 2022 retirement due to aphasia, an early sign of the disease.

The announcement prompted renewed public reflection on Willis’s decades-long career, which spans more than 100 film and television credits.

He gained international recognition in 1988 with Die Hard, portraying NYPD officer John McClane.

The film became a critical and commercial success, launching a franchise and bringing mainstream attention to Willis, who was previously known for his work on the TV series Moonlighting (1985–1989).

The line “Yippee-ki-yay, motherf*er” from the film became widely associated with his on-screen persona.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Willis appeared in a variety of genres. His notable films include Pulp Fiction (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995), The Fifth Element (1997), Armageddon (1998), and The Sixth Sense (1999).

His roles often featured characters in high-stakes situations and were frequently part of ensemble or science fiction films.

Willis received several major awards during his career. He won a Golden Globe for Moonlighting in 1987, as well as two Primetime Emmy Awards, one for Moonlighting and another for a guest role on Friends in 2000.

He has also been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and recognition from the American Cinematheque and French Order of Arts and Letters.

Willis has five daughters, three with actress Demi Moore, and two with his current wife, Emma Heming Willis.

His family has regularly shared public updates regarding his health and has remained active in raising awareness of frontotemporal dementia.

Since his diagnosis, Willis has stayed out of the public spotlight.