In a world of broken partnerships and ugly divorces, Bruce Willis’ mixed family harmony is a mystery.
Since the Die Hard star’s heartbreaking dementia diagnosis, his devoted family has rallied behind him.
Bruce, 69, married Demi Moore, 61, in 1987, but the couple split in 2000. Demi fell in love with Ashton Kutcher, a 46-year-old actor with whom she split in 2011, while Bruce fell in love with Emma Heming, an English model and actress about 25 years younger.
But Bruce, Demi, and Emma were determined to stay friends for the sake of their children. Bruce and Demi have three girls together, while he and Emma have two.The couples became close.
“We’ve become like a tribe,” Bruce remarked of their blended family in an interview with W Magazine in 2009, when Ashton and Demi attended his Turks and Caicos wedding to Emma.
In a world full of fractured relationships and bitter divorces, Bruce Willis’ blended familial bliss is somewhat of an enigma (Pictured are the blended family in March 2023)
Since the Die Hard star’s heartbreaking dementia diagnosis, his adoring family has rallied behind him—he has five daughters. (Taken in April 2020)
Emma stated that she met Demi and Ashton early in her relationship with Bruce, and that she felt’really privileged because from day one it’s been comfortable and joyful.
Bruce’s bond with Demi, with whom he has children Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, has been a source of confusion for many.
‘It’s sparked a lot of curiosity because everyone understands animosity and jealousy once a marriage ends, but they don’t understand how I get along with my ex,’ he said.
‘Demi and I decided to prioritize the kids, and we’re really fortunate that we all have a good time together.’
Demi and Ashton parted in 2011, and their divorce was completed two years later.
Meanwhile, Bruce and Emma welcomed their daughter, Mabel, in 2012. Two years later, they welcomed Evelyn.
Demi, 15 years after Bruce and Emma married, considers Bruce’s wife and their two children as part of her own ‘family,’ providing insight into their unusual and powerful attachment.
‘We are FAMILY,’ she said in an Instagram caption beside a photo of them all sharing a meal, posing as a group, and playing with Demi’s dog Pilaf. ‘Getting into the Holiday Spirit.’
In 2009, Bruce married Emma (left), an English model and actress, on the Turks and Caicos islands, but he continued to remain close with Demi (right)
Pictured; the blended family in December 2022
In April, when Bruce announced that he had been diagnosed with aphasia, Demi, Emma, and his five kids shared a joint statement to Bruce’s ‘amazing supporters’ (Pictured are Rumer, Demi, Bruce, Scout, Emma Heming and Tallulah on September 23, 2019)
Emma and Demi have also forged a close bond and the Ghost actress regularly spends quality time with Bruce’s two youngest children during their family get-togethers
In 2020, Bruce and Demi made headlines after they spent four weeks in quarantine with their daughters, two of their daughters’ boyfriends, and her assistant amid the COVID-19 pandemic
‘They made such an effort to still have our family be as one unit, as opposed to two separate things, which I think really made an impact,’ Rumer said of her parents in 2015 (Pictured in May 2020)
The family had a great time wearing matching pajamas and posing with the same books while stuck inside during the pandemic (Pictured are the blended family in April 2020)
Bruce has previously noted that people are often baffled by his friendship with Demi
Emma said at the time that she met Demi and Ashton early on in her relationship to Bruce, saying she was ‘really blessed because from day one it’s been comfortable and fun (Pictured are Bruce, Ashton, Demi, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah in 2003)
During an interview with Larry King in March 2015, Rumer praised her parents for getting along and making it a point to remain a family after they divorced and married other people.
‘They always made an effort to do all of the family events still together and made such an effort to still have our family be as one unit, as opposed to two separate things, which I think really made an impact,’ she said.
In 2020, Bruce and Demi made headlines after they spent four weeks in quarantine with their daughters, two of their daughters’ boyfriends, and her assistant amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The actor’s wife and two youngest daughters were not with them, but Scout later explained that there was a simple explanation for their absence.
‘My stepmom was going to come up here with my little sisters,’ she said on the Dopey podcast in 2020.
‘But my younger sister, who is now actually seven years old, at a park, had never gotten a talk about not f**king with hypodermic needles that she found, so she actually tried to poke her shoe with it and poked her foot.
‘So my stepmom had to be in LA waiting to get the results from taking her to the doctor so my dad came up here early and then travel got crazy so my stepmom stayed in LA with my little sisters.’
In February 2023, Bruce’s family revealed the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – less than one year after he retired from acting due to his battle with brain disorder, aphasia.
Bruce withdrew from acting in 2022 as he began his fight with the illness that caused his language abilities to deteriorate – and his condition later ‘progressed’ according to a joint statement from his family.
Bruce celebrated his 69th birthday on Tuesday, surrounded by his family, including ex-wife Demi (Picture shared on Tuesday)
She also shared in the caption, ‘Happy Birthday, BW! We love you and are so grateful for you.’ (Picture shared on Tuesday)
Bruce’s wife Emma celebrated her husband’s 69th birthday with a sweet birthday tribute amid his health battle with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia (Picture shared on Tuesday)
Emma has been married to Willis since 2009
Rumer, who gave birth to her first child Louetta last year, sang her father’s praises as she described him as the ‘funniest’ and most ‘out of this world silly talented’ dad (Picture shared on Tuesday)
She also provided this more current image of them together (picture taken on Tuesday).
FTD affects the lobes behind the forehead that control behavior, problem-solving, planning, and emotions. Symptoms include personality changes, compulsive behavior, and speech issues.
The statement from Bruce’s wife Emma, ex-wife Demi, and five daughters, posted on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s website, read: ‘Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support, and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.
‘In that spirit, we wanted to provide you with an update on our beloved husband, father, and friend, as we now have a better grasp of his situation.
After initially diagnosing Bruce with aphasia in spring 2022, his illness has advanced to frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Unfortunately, communication problems are only one sign of Bruce’s disease. While this is uncomfortable, it is a relief to get a definitive diagnosis.
‘FTD is a horrible disease that many of us have never heard of and that can affect anyone. FTD is the most frequent type of dementia among persons under the age of 60, and because diagnosing it can take years, it is likely considerably more widespread than we realize.
‘There are currently no treatments for the condition, which we hope will change in the next years. As Bruce’s situation worsens, we hope that any media attention can be directed toward shedding light on this disease, which requires significantly more awareness and research.
Bruce has always believed in utilizing his voice to help people and raise awareness about vital topics, both publicly and personally.
‘We’ve become like a tribe,’ Bruce said of their blended family while speaking with W Magazine that year. He is seen with wife Emma in April 2022
Bruce and his wife Emma have two daughters, Mabel, nine, and Evelyn, seven, together (Pictured are Bruce, Emma and their two children in October 2019)
Rumer with her father and sister Tallulah (photo uploaded on Tuesday).
‘We believe in our hearts that if he could today, he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a sense of community to those who are also coping with this horrible condition and how it affects so many people and their families.
‘Ours is just one family with a loved one suffering from FTD, and we encourage others to seek out the abundance of knowledge and support provided by AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org).
‘And for those of you who haven’t had personal experience with FTD, we hope you’ll learn about it and support AFTD’s cause in any way you can.
‘Bruce has always found joy in life and encouraged everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant everything to see that level of caring reflected back to him and all of us.
‘We have been very moved by the affection you have all shown for our beloved husband, father, and friend at this terrible time. Your continuing compassion, understanding, and respect will allow us to assist Bruce live as full a life as possible.
Emma and Demi, as well as his daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn, signed the statement.