Bruce Willis has been one of the most sought-after Hollywood action megastars. The actor appeared in several remarkable titles and worked with industry prominent directors. However, he had to step away from acting due to his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. Sylvester Stallone was heartbroken by the news.
Willis’ diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia has affected his ability to understand and express spoken or written language. Due to his condition, the actor finds it difficult to communicate. The news was indeed heartbreaking to his fans but his co-stars and industry professionals have equally expressed their sadness as they were devasted by the news.
Sylvester Stallone Was Heartbroken For Bruce Willis After His Diagnosis
Bruce Willis’ absence has been felt by many. The actor has created a legendary career and added several accolades to his name. So, it is obvious that his absence created a void in the industry and among fans. His The Expendables co-star Sylvester Stallone was also heartbroken with the news of his medical condition. He told The Hollywood Reporter,
“Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times. So he’s been sort of incommunicado. That kills me. It’s so sad.”
The actor also shared a photo of him with Willis on Instagram, “We go back a long way, praying for the best for you and your wonderful family,” he captained. Willis’ family first revealed that the actor was retiring due to his medical condition earlier this year.
“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,” his wife Emma Heming wrote in a statement (via Hola!).
Notably, Willis and Stallone had some bad blood in regard to the action franchise The Expendables, but he was genuinely saddened by the news of Willis’ diagnosis.
The Bad Blood Between Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone
Willis was a part of Stallone’s celebrated action franchise The Expendables. The Die Hard action hero appeared in the first two installments of the franchise but at the time of the negotiation for the third installment, the acting legends had a fallout.
Reportedly, Willis was offered $3 million to reprise his role in the film when he had just four days of consecutive work on location in Bulgaria. However, Willis demanded $4 million and threatened to drop the project without a million per day. Stallone and other producers did not agree and said no. Stallone was particularly upset with it.
“It sounded like it got personal and I’m sorry it did sound that way. But it was actors talking and things move on. I think Bruce Willis is a great guy and he does fantastically entertaining films and when he nails it he nails it big time,” Stallone said at the time (via Daily Express).
Stallone even cursed Willis on social media after their rift. However, the duo patched things up and continued the long-established friendship.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Hola!, Daily Express.
