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On Wednesday, March 30, Bruce Willis' family announced that the actor had been diagnosed with aphasia, which spotlighted the condition that affects a person's ability to communicate. Following the statement by Willis' eldest daughter, Rumer, announcing Willis' retirement from acting due to the condition, many celebrities with the same disorder have been trending since.
Announcing the emotional news on her Instagram, Rumer Willis wrote,
"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."
According to the National Aphasia Association, aphasia affects around 180,000 people in the US alone. This makes it a relatively common disorder, which means that many celebrities like the legendary Bruce Willis may acquire it.
Here are 5 celebrity figures that have been diagnosed with aphasia
The following list of celebrities, in no specific order, talks of renowned individuals who are publicly known to have suffered from the condition.
5) Dick Clark
The inspiring radio personality and host was known for hosting one of the biggest New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square. After having an extensive career in radio and television, which spanned over six decades, Dick Clark suffered a stroke in December 2004, just before the New Year.
Clark again hosted the NYE celebration at the end of 2005, which received much applause from other survivors at the time. However, the late host also received some backlash for hosting the event, as some people could not understand his speech. Clark passed away in 2012 following a heart attack.
4) Randy Travis
Renowned country music star Randy Travis suffered a stroke in 2013, which reportedly left him in need of speech therapy for over two years. The North Carolina native has suffered from the condition ever since. Impressively, Travis can still sing in small stretches, but with less control over his vocal registers. The singer has demonstrated his iconic feat on multiple occasions since 2016.
In 2017, the singer sang a few words at his tribute in Nashville, where he was honored by around 30 artists. Later that year, the seven-time Grammy Award winner performed a few words from his iconic hit Forever And Ever, Amen in Fort Worth, Texas, for a segment on the Penny Gilley Show.
Since his stroke, the star has also started the Randy Travis Foundation, which provides aid to stroke patients.
3) Kirk Douglas
The renowned Hollywood superstar of his time and father to actor Michael Douglas, the late Kirk Douglas, also suffered from aphasia. In 1996, Douglas had a stroke, which left him with a speech impairment. However, the star still made two movies following his stroke. The actor himself pointed out these accomplishments in his 2002 memoir My Stroke of Luck.
The star wrote,
"After a stroke, I made two films with impaired speech. Now I am waiting for another part to play before the sun sinks below the horizon. You can't stop an actor."
Kirk Douglas passed away as a centenarian at the age of 103 in February 2020.
2) Sharon Stone
Unlike most other celebrities on the list, the Basic Instinct star did not suffer from a stroke to develop the condition of aphasia. She reportedly had a brain aneurysm in 2001. The actress still has an ongoing stutter, which does not seem to be very noticeable during her interviews.
While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress revealed that she had to spend two years "learning to walk and talk again." Sharon Stone added,
"I came home from that stroke stuttering, couldn't read for two years... It's been a humbling journey: I was on Law & Order ... and I had a hard time with my lines. I can talk about it now because I'm OK now ... I feel really good about talking and having my full vocabulary."
1) Emilia Clarke
Clarke reportedly suffered an aneurysm in 2011, which led to a stroke that in turn needed brain surgery. Around two weeks after her surgery, she could not remember her own name at one point.
While narrating her account of the condition and its diagnosis, Emilia Clarke wrote in The New Yorker, which read,
"Even as I was muttering nonsense, my mum did me the great kindness of ignoring it and trying to convince me that I was perfectly lucid. But I knew I was faltering. In my worst moments, I wanted to pull the plug. I asked the medical staff to let me die. My job—my entire dream of what my life would be—centered on language, on communication. Without that, I was lost."
However, the actress bounced back from aphasia and received four Emmy nominations for her brilliant take on Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones.
While many actors and actresses have continued to perform and act regardless of their bout with aphasia, Bruce Willis seems to have a more advanced condition. However, it is too soon to say if the actor will return to acting upon potential improvements in his condition.
