"He's been sort of incommunicado": Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis' friendship explored as former gives an update on the latter's struggle with aphasia

Sylvester Stallone recently shared an update on his co-star Bruce Willis.

Earlier this year, Bruce Willis' family announced that he had been diagnosed with aphasia and would be retiring. Support came pouring in from fans and industry professionals alike, with one of the most vocal supporters being Willis' Expendables co-star Sylvester Stallone.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Rambo actor shared that Bruce Willis, 67, is going through some "really, really difficult times." The 76-year-old disclosed that Willis' battle with the language disorder had rendered them unable to communicate.

“Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times. So he’s been sort of incommunicado. That kills me. It’s so sad.”

When the news was first announced by Willis' spouse, Emma Heming Willis, Stallone was one of the first to take to social media. He posted a heartfelt message and a series of photos of the two on his Instagram.

The post was captioned:

"We go back a long way, praying for the best for you and your wonderful family."

In Stallone's Instagram post dedicated to Bruce Willis following the retirement announcement, three of the five photos were from their Expendables days, while two were older images before they became co-stars.

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Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone had a feud over salary negotiation for Expendables 3

The two action heroes burst into fame in the 80s and have maintained a decades-long friendship. They both endorsed the restaurant chain Planet Hollywood in 1991, alongside fellow Expendables actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis' ex-wife, Demi Moore, among others.

Their first movie together came much later, with the massively successful 2010 film franchise, The Expendables. The ensemble action film was written and directed by Stallone, who played Barney Ross, leader of The Expendables.

A major feud erupted during salary negotiations for the third film in 2013, leading to the departure of Willis and his character Mr. Church from the franchise.

Stallone reportedly wouldn't go above $3 million, while Willis insisted on $4 million for four days of filming. Stallone attacked Willis on social media, calling him "greedy and lazy."

When Harrison Ford was cast as the Die Hard actor's replacement, Stallone celebrated the news and tweeted that he had "been waiting years for this."

They buried the hatchet after Willis stopped portraying Mr. Church, with Stallone later stating that Willis was "a stand-up guy." At a press conference before the movie's premiere, Stallone admitted that the social media blast was "nothing personal."

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Bruce Willis' struggle with aphasia

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain's language-processing regions. This can happen due to strokes, head trauma, brain tumors, or aging of the brain.

The Sixth Sense actor's wife, Emma Willis, announced the actor's condition and his retirement on Instagram on March 31.

She wrote that the disorder has been "impacting his cognitive abilities" and that after much consideration, the Armageddon actor is "stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

The family did not get into the cause of the diagnosis but have been candid about their uphill journey as they deal with the condition.

The action-packed thriller Paradise City, featuring Bruce Willis in what might be one of his final roles, is set to release on Friday, November 11, 2022.