Arnold Schwarzenegger Speaks Candidly About Bruce Willis' Retirement After Dementia Diagnosis

Hollywood legend Bruce Willis decided to retire from acting in March 2022 following his diagnosis of aphasia. The news saddened fans and fellow celebrities, including Willis' longtime friend and colleague, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently opened up about the situation.

Schwarzenegger, returning to acting after a four-year hiatus, conveyed his respect for Willis but shared that action stars never truly retire; they "reload."

Read on for more details.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, a close friend of Bruce Willis for several years, expressed his deep concern and support for the actor during a recent interview with Cinemablend. 

Willis notably pulled the curtain on his illustrious acting career in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia, which affects language expression and comprehension.

"I think that he's fantastic. He was, for years and years, a huge star," Schwarzenegger said. "And I think he will always be remembered as a great star. And a kind man." 

The "Commando" actor added, "I understand that under his circumstances, health-wise, he had to retire. But in general, you know, we never retire. Action heroes, they reload." 

According to the National Aphasia Association, the condition, often caused by brain injuries such as strokes or trauma, can profoundly affect a person's life, including their ability to speak, understand language, read, and write.

In a saddening turn of events earlier this year, Willis' family revealed that his initial diagnosis of aphasia which affected his cognitive abilities, had progressed into frontotemporal dementia. 

Initially, Willis' struggle with language impairment was attributed to aphasia; however, as time passed, it became apparent that his condition was not limited to aphasia alone, as his family shared in a February update on Instagram. 

"Since we announced Bruce's diagnosis of aphasia in 2022, Bruce's condition has progressed, and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD)," the post read. "Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, finally having a clear diagnosis is a relief." 

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a form of dementia that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, which predominantly affects memory, FTD primarily targets personality, behavior, and language.

In a heartfelt social media post, Willis's wife, Emma Heming-Willis, shared a reassuring message about her husband's health, per CNN. 

Taking to Instagram, Emma talked about how the new findings by their 9-year-old daughter Evelyn showed that people with dementia could be "severely dehydrated," and she's resolved to see that the actor always has a bottle of water at hand. 

"So I have to tell you this story, and I'm going to try and do it without crying," Emma said. "Because when Evelyn told me this story, I was an absolute puddle." 

She pointed out that Evelyn had searched "fun facts about dementia" and found that it was a prerogative for patients with dementia to stay hydrated. 

Emma continued, "Now, that's not funny, but it's funny. And she is her father's child because these two love some random facts. So I told her, 'Evelyn, we will always make sure daddy has a bottle of water in hand. Thank you for letting me know. But that is the most loving and compassionate thing that you can do is to be curious and educate yourself on your dad's disease.'"

After a four-year hiatus from acting, the legendary actor is set to triumphantly return to the big screen in the upcoming film "Breakout," per Deadline. 

"Breakout" is an action-packed thriller that showcases Schwarzenegger's enduring star power and his ability to command the screen with his charismatic presence. The film will follow the actor in the role of Terry Reynolds, who finds out that his stepson was unjustly imprisoned in a foreign country and moves to rescue him. 

The character "must overcome an overzealous prison warden in a race against time to avoid capture and flee the country" after his stepson's imprisonment for a framed crime, the synopsis reads.