Bruce Willis Showed Cognitive Issues Ahead Of Aphasia Diagnosis, Recent Project Forced To Use Body Doubles

KEY POINTS

Bruce Willis was already showing signs of cognitive decline when he was filming back in 2020, said an insider
The "Red" actor allegedly used earpieces for the production to feed him his lines, and they also used body doubles to maximize his screen time
It was allegedly increasingly difficult to work with Willis, so his screen time was whittled down in at least one project

Bruce Willis was already showing signs of cognitive decline even before his family announced his aphasia diagnosis.

The fans of the "Red" actor were shocked after learning that he was suffering from aphasia, a language disorder caused by damage in a specific area of the brain. The condition could rob one of the ability to communicate as it affects speech, writing skills and comprehension, according to Mayo Clinic.

Smith's family announced his aphasia diagnosis on Instagram Wednesday. However, an unnamed source claimed that the actor had issues during productions in 2020 that might be related to his condition. At the time, Willis was filming a string of movies, including "American Siege," "Survive the Game," "Cosmic Sin" and "Hard Kill."

"He was having cognitive problems, they all knew Bruce was having problems," the anonymous insider told Page Six. "Everybody knew, the cast and crew. His family has stepped in, they moved in to take care of him."

The tipster added that Willis was using "earpieces, hearing things, for them to feed him the lines." The whole set felt the difficulty working with the "Cop Out" star that they were forced to use body doubles at some point.

"It was increasingly difficult to have him on screen," the source continued. "It became very apparent that he was having problems. So they'd use body doubles, not just for action [sequences], but for maximizing his screen time."

The insider claimed that his screen time was "whittled down" in at least one project due to the issues. He ended up shooting for just three days for the project.

The tipster also claimed that some of the films were made closer to his home to make the production easier. "It was becoming super obvious he was having trouble … he could not act anymore," the insider said.

Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis and daughter Rumer Willis announced his health condition to the public this week. They shared a snap of the actor along with a statement detailing his diagnosis and his plan to retire from acting.

"Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities," the statement read. "As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."