Why is Bruce Willis trending on X? Details explored amid viral post claiming the actor lost his ability to speak or read
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Bruce Willis with his family (Photo: Instagram/@buuski)It is being reported this week in a now-viral social media post that Bruce Willis has lost the ability to speak and read. The post suggested Willis' frontotemporal dementia (FTD) had worsened, and the actor couldn't speak or read and was experiencing difficulty walking.
According to reports, Bruce Willis can no longer speak or read, and has difficulty walking. pic.twitter.com/hPTcd5IBoO
— Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) July 21, 2025As a result, comments expressing concern for the actor began cropping up and Willis began trending online.
However, none of these reports have been confirmed by the actor's family.
For context, back in March 2022, Willis' family announced he was taking a break from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. By February 2023, his family revealed that his condition had "progressed" and they had a "specific diagnosis" of FTD.
Bruce Willis' family has regularly kept fans updated about his health
Online speculations, including a January 2025 Facebook post by user @Life Facts, have claimed Bruce Willis was "no longer able to communicate verbally." Instagram user @insiderhistory noted that reports throughout 2023 and 2024 suggested the actor had become "largely non-verbal and had stopped reading." Some even claimed he was facing challenges with mobility. However, none of these reports have been proved to be hoax.
Willis' daughters, former wife Demi Moore, and current wife Emma Hemming Willis have regularly kept fans updated on the actor's health. According to Tribune, in April 2025, his family shared an update reassuring fans that while the disease remains progressive, Willis' condition was stable.
In March, the family celebrated Bruce Willis' 70th birthday, sharing several posts dedicated to the actor. In an Instagram post, Tallulah Willis, an actress, wrote:
"Throughout my childhood I was so frequently asked what it was like to have capital B Bruce Willis as a dad, that somehow these people thought that when they saw him jump off buildings via a 20ft screen he remained EXTRA LARGE."
On June 22, she shared pictures from a family visit to her grandmother's place. The actor can be seen enjoying the day with everyone, including her fiancé, Justin Acee.
Meanwhile, Rumer Willis, also an actress, shared a video of the actor dancing with Moore on his birthday. She captioned:
"Oh Daddio, to be loved by you is such a gift."
In June, she penned an emotional Father's Day message, writing that she wished she had asked him more questions while he could still tell her. She wrote:
"Today is hard, I feel a deep ache in my chest to talk to you and tell you everything I’m doing and what’s going on in my life. To hug you and ask you about life and your stories and struggles and successes," adding, "I wish I asked you more questions while you could still tell me about it all."
Demi Moore, too, shared pictures of Bruce Willis interacting with his family as they celebrated his birthday, writing, "Quality time with our BW." In an April 2025 interview with Lawyer Monthly, she noted that Bruce was in a "stable" condition.
In January, Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Hemming Willis, shared a post showing the actor interacting with first responders that he spotted on an outing. The video showed him shaking hands and interacting with the officers.
In May, she spoke to People magazine about her plans to release her book, The Unexpected Journey, centered on her experiences as a FTD caregiver. Emma explained the book would be a "roadmap" for "caregivers who are desperate for answers, aching for support, and wanting to be seen and wondering how they're going to make it through."
TOPICS: Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Emma Hemming Willis