Bruce Willis has said he will be "stepping away" from his acting career due to health issues.
The US actor has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that has affected his cognitive abilities. Mr Willis has starred in hit films including the Die Hard series, Pulp Fiction, Armageddon, Moonrise Kingdom, 12 Monkeys and Looper.
Disclosing the news on social media, his family said it had been a "really challenging time" for them and thanked fans for their "continued love, compassion and support". They said: "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.
READ MORE: 'Brilliant' man, 30, dies after thinking he had 'heartburn'
"As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."
What is aphasia and what are the symptoms?
According to the NHS, aphasia is when a person has difficulty with their language or speech. It's usually caused by damage to the left side of the brain.
People with aphasia often have trouble with the four main ways people understand and use language.
These are:
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- typing or writing
Speaking problems are perhaps the most obvious, and people with aphasia may make mistakes with the words they use.
This could be sometimes using the wrong sounds in a word, choosing the wrong word, or putting words together incorrectly.
Aphasia can occur by itself or alongside other disorders, such as visual difficulties, mobility problems, limb weakness, and problems with memory or thinking skills.
Aphasia can affect people of all ages, but it's most common in people over the age of 65.
Mr Willis married actress Demi Moore in 1987 and had his three eldest children, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. The pair separated in 2000 but remained on amicable terms and Mr Willis remarried actress Emma Heming in 2009.
The pair also share two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn. The statement added: "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."
The post was signed from Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, & Evelyn. Mr Willis has been nominated for multiple awards including five Golden Globes, of which he has won one, and three Primetime Emmys, of which he won two.
In 2006, he was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Los Angeles.
Receive newsletters with the biggest and breaking TV and showbiz news by signing up here
