American actor Bruce Willis is very much alive but has declared his retirement, according to his family, after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that hinders people’s capacity to communicate.

“Bruce has been suffering some health concerns and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive ability,” his daughter, Rummer Willis, said on Instagram on Wednesday.

Long before his family disclosed on Wednesday that the iconic actor had been diagnosed with a brain ailment, Bruce Willis allegedly struggled with cognitive impairments on the sets of his films for years and even used an earpiece to give him lines.

According to sources, his decreasing cognitive abilities had been a well-kept secret in Hollywood, as the actor had often struggled to perform in his films.

‘Everyone knew, the cast and crew,’ the unidentified person said, adding that Willis was ‘using earpieces, hearing things, for them to give him the lines,’ and that ‘having him on screen was becoming increasingly problematic.’

He said that films have to be filmed closer to Willis’ home with his family – who, according to the source, has been caring for the 67-year-old actor – to make productions simpler.

The famous actor may even be seen using an earpiece in a scene in his new film American Siege, which was recorded in 2020, two years before the family’s admission that Willis had aphasia.

See the image below;

The circle drawn on his ear indicates that there was an earpiece in his ear.