After being diagnosed with aphasia, Bruce Willis, best known for starring as John McClane in the Die Hard franchise, has announced his retirement from the industry.

Willis had been "experiencing various health concerns and has just been diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive ability," according to a joint statement put on his family's social media sites.

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

The statement continued: “This is a 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.”

A die-hard career

Willis, 67, rose to prominence on the TV sitcom Moonlighting before becoming a prolific action star famed for his sarcastic delivery. Aside from the Die Hard films, he received praise for his performances in Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, The Last Boy Scout, Twelve Monkeys, The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Looper, and Moonrise Kingdom.

Willis, one of the most bankable performers of the 1980s and 1990s, carved out a significant niche in the family comedy, most notably as the voice of a baby in Look Who's Talking and its sequel.

He has also released three albums as a singer (his cover of Under the Boardwalk peaked at No. 2 on the UK singles chart) and appeared in numerous theatrical plays, including a revival of Misery on Broadway in 2015.

The action icon was married to Hollywood star Demi Moore for 23 years and together have three daughters. Following his divorce from Moore, he married Emma Heming Willis, with whom he has two daughters.

Willis has recently continued his acting career while also playfully satirizing it in films such as Red and The Expendables. He appeared in seven films that were released in 2021, while three films featuring Willis were released this year.

A further eight completed Willis films are currently set for release in 2022 and 2023.

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is characterized by trouble with language or speech and is typically caused by injury to the left side of the brain, which is responsible for language comprehension and production.

It is most frequent in persons over the age of 65 and is caused by a stroke, a serious head injury, a brain tumor, and degenerative neurological diseases such as dementia.