Bruce Willis’ ‘stepping away’ from acting career following aphasia diagnosis leads Razzies and Kevin Smith to issue apologies over past treatment of actor

• Actor’s family revealed he was ‘stepping away’ from show business career due to health issues 
• Willis, 67, is battling aphasia, a condition that impact’s one’s ability to understand or process speech 
• The actor has appeared in a series of straight-to-video films in recent years 
• The Razzie Awards lampooned Willis’ work this year with a category dubbed Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie 
• Smith, 51, had been critical of Willis after they worked together on the 2010 movie Cop Out 
• Filmmaker said he was ‘so sorry’ over ‘petty complaints’ he made about actor 
• He added that news of the star’s health issues were ‘really heartbreaking to read’ 
• Willis is best known for his films in the Die Hard series, as well as Pulp Fiction, Armageddon and The Sixth Sense 

The Razzie Awards and director Kevin Smith on Wednesday issued apologies for past criticism of Bruce Willis in the wake of news that the actor was ‘stepping away’ from his career after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impact’s one’s ability to understand or process speech.

The Razzie Awards, a satire on the Oscars that lampoons critically-maligned movies, had promoted a new category titled ‘Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie,’ after the 67-year-old actor appeared in eight straight-to-video films in 2021.

They included American Siege, Apex, Cosmic Sin, Deadlock, Fortress, Midnight in the Switchgrass, Out of Death, and Survive the Game.

The latest: The Razzie Awards and director Kevin Smith, 51, on Wednesday issued apologies for past criticism of Bruce Willis, 67, in the wake of news that the actor was retiring after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impact’s one’s ability to understand or process speech. The actor was snapped in NYC in 2019 

‘The Razzies are truly sorry for #BruceWillis diagnosed condition,’ the organization said in a tweet Wednesday. ‘Perhaps this explains why he wanted to go out with a bang in 2021. Our best wishes to Bruce and family. To clarify, we heard about Willis’ diagnosis at the same time everyone else did…just this morning.’

Kevin Smith, 51, also took to Twitter to apologize to the actor and his family after publicly ripping the actor more than a decade ago over his working experience with him on the 2010 movie Cop Out.

‘Long before any of the Cop Out stuff, I was a big Bruce Willis fan – so this is really heartbreaking to read,’ Smith said. ‘He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him. I feel like an a**hole for my petty complaints from 2010. So sorry to BW and his family.’

Appearing on the WTF with Marc Maron Podcast in 2011, Smith described working with Willis on the motion picture as ‘f***ing soul crushing’ and ‘difficult,’ and complained he ‘wouldn’t even sit for a f***ing poster shoot.’

The Razzie Awards, a satire on the Oscars that lampoons critically-maligned movies, issued an apology on Twitter and sent their best wishes to the actor and his family 

The award show had promoted a new category titled ‘Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie,’ after the actor appeared in eight straight-to-video films in 2021 

Kevin Smith also took to Twitter to apologize to Willis and his family after publicly ripping the actor more than a decade ago over his working experience with him on the movie Cop Out

Willis and Smith were seen in July of 2009 shooting the movie in NYC 

Smith said that ‘were it not for’ Tracy Morgan, who starred opposite Willis in the movie, ‘I might have killed either myself or someone else in the making of f***ing Cop Out.’

He added: ‘I’ve never been involved in a situation like that where, one component is not in the box at all … I had no f***ing help from this dude whatsoever.’

Willis’ family, including his wife Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and five daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn issued a statement via Instagram on Wednesday saying that the Hollywood icon ‘has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.’

They added: ‘As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him. This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.

‘We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that.’

Smith, pictured in 2016 in LA, said that learning of Willis’ heath problems was ‘really heartbreaking’

Willis’ family issued a statement via Instagram on Wednesday saying that the Hollywood icon ‘has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities’

The actor’s family did not announce what caused his bout with aphasia, which has a number of potential causes. 

The condition could occur following a head injury or stroke, or can be a predecessor to a brain tumor or Alzheimer’s disease. Patients who are living with the condition are typically treated with speech therapy and taught ways to communicate non-verbally.

Willis, best known for his films in the Die Hard series, as well as Pulp Fiction, Armageddon and The Sixth Sense, has stayed busy in recent years acting in a series of straight-to-video films.

He has filmed at least six more movies slated to be released this and next year, among them, Die Like Lovers, Corrective Measures and The Wrong Place, according to the AP.

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