The creator of Moonlighting — the series that helped launch the career of Bruce Willis — has given a sad update on the actor’s condition.
As fans of Bruce Willis, we all hope for the best as he and his family go through their trying time as the actor lives with frontotemporal dementia. Unfortunately, not everything will offer a glimmer of uplifting news. With his breakout series Moonlighting now streaming on Hulu, creator Glenn Gordon Caron has provided an update based on recent visits.
Speaking with New York Post, Caron noted that his time with Bruce Willis as of late has been difficult as he sees how much has been taken from the actor. “My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am…He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader — he didn’t want anyone to know that — and he’s not reading now. All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce…When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there…but the joie de vivre [enjoyment of life] is gone.”
Caron added that, sadly, experiencing this form of dementia has essentially morphed Bruce Willis into a fraction of who he was. “He’s an extraordinary person. The thing that makes [his disease] so mind-blowing is [that] if you’ve ever spent time with Bruce Willis, there is no one who had any more joie de vivre than he. He loved life and … just adored waking up every morning and trying to live life to its fullest.” He added, “So the idea that he now sees life through a screen door, if you will, makes very little sense. He’s really an amazing guy.”
Moonlighting — which earned Bruce Willis a Primetime Emmy — came to Hulu just this week. In addition to being a pretty solid show, it helped fast-track him into Hollywood superstardom, landing Die Hard before the show’s conclusion. The series won numerous Emmys and Golden Globes throughout its five-season run. On Moonlighting potentially reaching a new audience, Caron said, “I know he’s really happy that the show is going to be available for people, even though he can’t tell me that…When I got to spend time with him we talked about it and I know he’s excited…I know it means a lot to him.”
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