Home / Arts and Entertainment / Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd Reconnect Before His Frontotemporal Dementia Diagnosis
Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd Reconnect Before His Frontotemporal Dementia Diagnosis
29 Oct
Summary
- Bruce Willis retired from acting in 2022 due to aphasia diagnosis
- His condition progressed to frontotemporal dementia
- Cybill Shepherd and Willis mended their relationship before his health struggles
- They had a tumultuous past while co-starring on Moonlighting in the 1980s
In October 2025, it was reported that iconic actor Bruce Willis had retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder affecting communication. Nearly a year later, his family shared that his condition had worsened, progressing into frontotemporal dementia.
While Willis, known for his roles in Die Hard and The Sixth Sense, has stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight, it seems he and his former Moonlighting co-star Cybill Shepherd were able to mend their relationship before his health struggles became public. Back in 2000, Shepherd had characterized Willis as a "jerk" and claimed they "hated each other" while working together on the 1980s TV series.
However, Shepherd recently revealed that they were able to reconcile in the years leading up to Willis's retirement. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect with her former co-star, stating that they were able to be "real open-hearted with each other" before his diagnosis. This marks a significant shift from the tumultuous relationship the two actors reportedly shared during the production of Moonlighting.
