Rumer Willis has spoken emotionally about witnessing a new 'tenderness' in her father Bruce Willis as he battles frontotemporal dementia. The 37-year-old actress and singer described spending time with the 71-year-old Die Hard star as a changed but precious experience.
Appearing on celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly's podcast The Inside Edit, Rumer reflected on how her family has rallied around Bruce since his diagnosis was made public in 2022. She said: 'I love getting to go over and see him. I’m so grateful that I have a child that got to meet him because I don’t know if my sisters will have that.' Rumer shares daughter Louetta, two, with former partner Derek Richard Thomas.
Bruce also shares daughters Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 32, with ex-wife Demi Moore, as well as Mabel, 14, and Evelyn, 12, with current wife Emma Heming Willis. Rumer noted that time with her father feels different now, adding: 'There’s a sweetness. He’s always been this, kind of, macho dude and now there’s just such a – fragile’s not the right word – but just, like, a tenderness that maybe being Bruce Willis might not have allowed him in a certain way.'
Bruce retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, later confirmed as frontotemporal dementia. His family, including Emma and Demi, have continued to share updates and advocate for dementia awareness. Rumer said the family works hard to stay connected, stating: 'We don’t do it perfectly but we’re always striving to continue to create connection and find ways to be with each other and support each other through something that is kind of unprecedented.'
