Sylvester Stallone reveals close pal Bruce Willis is having a 'difficult time' after aphasia diagnosis

11 November 2022, 13:47

They are two of Hollywood's greatest ever action movie heroes.

So it's no surprise that Die Hard legend Bruce Willis and Rocky tough man Sylvester Stallone have struck up a close friendship over their many years in the business.

In recent months however, both have proved how invaluable their friendship is since Bruce announced he had been diagnosed with aphasia in March 2022.

'Sly' Stallone was one of his first friends to publicly comment on the sad news, wishing him well on his social media profiles.

"We go back a long way. Praying for the best for you and your wonderful family," he wrote in the caption which accompanied several pictures of him and Bruce together.

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In a recent interview however, the Rambo action star revealed that the pair haven't spoken much since his diagnosis, saying Bruce was "incommunicado".

He gave an update confirming the Pulp Fiction and Armageddon icon was in the midst of "really, really difficult times".

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in November 2022, Stallone said: "Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times. So he’s been sort of incommunicado. That kills me. It’s so sad."

It's certainly not the update that fans of the actor were hoping for, given that he was in good spirits back in March when his diagnosis was first revealed despite the gloom.

At the time, his family statement read: "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family, we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities."

"As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

"This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support."

"We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him."

"As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that".

According to Stallone however, it would seem that Bruce is struggling more than he let on in the first instance.

The NHS states that aphasia is a condition that creates "difficulty with their language or speech" when someone is diagnosed and is usually caused by "damage to the left side of the brain".

There are treatments which can help the condition, including speech and language therapies.

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Bruce and Sly first befriended each other back in 1991, becoming involved in the restaurant Planet Hollywood together, which was also endorsed by Willis' ex-wife Demi Moore and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

After years of friendship, they pair eventually starred on-screen together in Sly's film franchise The Expendables.

Both being big characters, working together sparked a dispute between the two friends which led to Bruce leaving the third instalment to be replaced by Harrison Ford.

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Of course, they buried the hatchet and proved that they're still great friends in times of need.

Bruce is still very much in Stallone's thoughts - he clearly has the love and support of the industry to help him pull through this difficult period.