Demi Moore gave a rare glimpse into her ex-husband Bruce Willis’ “difficult” battle with dementia during a recent appearance on the “Oprah Winfrey” podcast.
As the former talk show host interviewed Willis’ current wife, Emma Heming, about her new memoir, “The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path,” on Tuesday’s episode, Winfrey played a clip from a pre-recorded interview she conducted with Moore.
“It’s difficult. It’s hard to see somebody who was so vibrant and strong and so directed shift into this other parts of themself,” said the “Charlie’s Angels” star, who shares daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31, with Willis.
“But you know, my particular perspective is one, I really always say it’s so important just to meet them where they’re at. Don’t have an expectation of them needing to be who they were or who you want them to be, and when you do that, I find that there is an incredible sweetness and something that’s soft and tender and loving.”
“And perhaps it is more playful and childlike in certain sense, because of how much more caretaking they need.”
Moore went on to explain how the “most important” aspect for her is “showing up and being present.”
“Because if you project where it’s going it only creates anxiety. If you replay where it was and what you’ve lost, it only creates anxiety and grief,” she continued.
“When you stay present, there is so much, and there’s still so much of him there. And it may not always be verbal, but it is beautiful given the givens.”
Moore’s comments come shortly after Heming revealed she recently made the “hard decision” to put the “Die Hard” actor in a separate home because he “would want that” for their daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
“He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs,” Heming said on “Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special.”
Still, Willis manages to eat breakfast and dinner with Heming and their daughters in his home, where he resides with a full-time care team.
Willis, 70, went public with his aphasia diagnosis in 2022 after announcing his retirement from acting.
Heming, 47, gave another update on the Golden Globe winner’s health last week, revealing he’s “still very mobile” amid his condition, which impacts speech along with the way individuals write and understand spoken and written language, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Bruce is in really great health, overall, it’s just his brain that is failing him,” the model explained in an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer.
Heming discusses her role in being her husband’s caregiver in her forthcoming memoir, which is set to be released on Sept. 9.
Emma Heming Willis Says Bruce Willis Wants Her to ‘Enjoy Life’ With Kids Amid His Dementia Battle
Emma Heming Willis is soaking up time with her husband, Bruce Willis, and their children as he battles frontotemporal dementia.
“While the grief and sadness and trauma is here all the time, I have learned it’s OK for me to also enjoy our life,” Heming Willis, 49, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, September 3. “Bruce would want that for me and for our kids, to not wallow in the sadness of it, but also rise to it.”
Willis, 70, currently lives in a second home, separate from the property Heming Willis lives at with their two daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11. She opened up about regularly going to visit her husband at his house with their kids in ABC’s Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special on August 26.
“We are there a lot,” Heming Willis told host Diane Sawyer. “It’s our second home, so the girls have their things there. It is a house that is filled with love and warmth and care and laughter, and it’s been beautiful to see that, to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to show up for him, and they bring in life and fun.”
Heming Willis, who wed the actor in 2009, shared more about the living arrangement and the decision to move her husband into a different home in a recent podcast interview.
“Sometimes it means that you have to look at your house,” she explained Tuesday, September 2. “You have to look at is it safe for someone to be living in this house? Is it safe for me, and is it safe for our children? It is a very personal decision, but it comes down to safety. It comes down to making the right decision for you and your family and your person.”
Amid their separate living arrangements, Heming Willis sometimes shares glimpses into her life with her and Willis’ daughters in posts via Instagram.
“The Getty gave us art, stunning gardens, sunshine, and the perfect spot for a picnic. Grateful for this slow Sunday with the girls 🖼️✨🤍,” she captioned a carousel of photos on July 20.
Heming Willis also documented going on a hike with the girls on June 30 and another outdoor adventure on July 6. While continuing to be the best mom and caregiver she can be, Heming Willis is determined to raise awareness for FTD diagnoses and research.
“Over time, I realized it would be beneficial to talk about it and raise awareness so people get to the doctor sooner, can be diagnosed sooner, get into clinical trials,” she told People. “FTD gets misdiagnosed all the time as bipolar, midlife crisis, depression. It is just not on anyone’s radar, which is why I think coming out with Bruce’s diagnosis was so important.”
Heming Willis’ new book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, is out on Tuesday, September 9.
Emma Heming Willis Shares Why Moving Bruce Willis Was The Best Choice For Their Family
Emma Heming Willis has revealed the emotional choice she had to make for her husband Bruce Willis and their family.
In an exclusive interview, she shared how moving the legendary actor into his own calm, one-story home nearby has changed everything.
According to her, the decision was not easy, but it has created peace and balance for everyone.
Bruce Willis Finds Calm In A Serene Space
For Emma, no moment has been more painful than deciding to move Bruce into a separate residence.
The “Die Hard” star has been living with frontotemporal dementia, and Emma explained why the new setup was necessary.
“It was the hardest thing,” Emma told PEOPLE in the magazine’s latest cover story, noting that Bruce’s progressive disease “requires a calm and serene atmosphere.”
The new home, close to the family’s main house, provides a quiet, secure environment with round-the-clock care.
A Home That Meets Everyone’s Needs
Emma Heming Willis described the residence as the family’s “second home.”
The one-story property has been tailored to Bruce Willis’ needs while also allowing their daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, to thrive.
“We have two young children, and it was just important that they had a home that supported their needs and that Bruce could have a place that supported his needs … The kids can have playdates and sleepovers [again] and not have to walk around tiptoeing.”
By creating two nurturing environments, Emma has given her daughters the freedom to be kids while ensuring Bruce receives the calm he needs.
Emma Heming Willis On Gratitude And Healing
Emma acknowledged the privilege of being able to make such an arrangement.
She shared how thankful she feels for what it has brought to their household.
“Everything just feels a lot calmer, more at ease now,” she said, reflecting on how the shift has opened up space for both healing and everyday family life.
Emma explained that dementia affects every household in unique ways, and families must make choices that fit both their loved one and their own dynamics.
She admitted it was heartbreaking, but said this arrangement has allowed them to better support their entire family while also giving Bruce a new sense of openness in his world.
“I get to go back to being Bruce’s wife and the kids can be kids and there’s beauty in that and I’m so grateful for that,” she said. “I just get to be with him in these moments, and that is because of this setup we have. It’s been helpful for us.”
Bruce Willis’s Wife Defends Her Decision Amid Criticism
The interview is coming after Emma Heming Willis responded to backlash for moving Bruce into a separate home.
In an emotional Instagram video, Emma addressed the wave of online comments directed at her since revealing her family’s decision.
She admitted she expected mixed reactions but noted the stark difference between those with real-life experience and those offering only opinions.
“What I knew is that by sharing some of our intimate information that we would see these two camps. It would be people with an opinion versus people with an actual experience,” Emma said.
She added, “That is what caregivers are up against … Judgement from others and criticism from others.”
Emma also reminded critics that every caregiving journey is different, and choices must be made in the best interest of both the patient and the family.
For her, the move was about creating stability for their daughters while ensuring Bruce had the calm environment he needs.
Despite the criticism, Emma has continued to advocate for caregivers, highlighting the challenges and sacrifices that often go unseen.
Bruce Willis’ Going Downhill Fast’
Meanwhile, Bruce continues to struggle with frontotemporal dementia, and insiders say his health is deteriorating quickly.
A close source revealed to the Daily Mail, “He is going downhill fast,” and added that Bruce “doesn’t know some faces” anymore.
The insider revealed that Bruce’s daughters remain by his side, noting, “They are all spending as much time with him as they can,” while the “Pulp Fiction” star still finds moments of joy.
According to the source, “He lights up when he sees his children.”
Bruce’s health decline has been heartbreaking, with no treatment currently available for FTD.
Demi Moore has ‘so much compassion’ for ex Bruce Willis’ wife as she navigates his ‘difficult’ dementia battle
Demi Moore is addressing her ex-husband’s mental decline and praising his wife in the process.
“The Substance” actress, 62, spoke out about Bruce Willis’ health struggles on Tuesday’s episode of “The Oprah Podcast” with host Oprah Winfrey, and revealed she has “so much compassion” for Emma Heming Willis.
Willis, 70, retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia. His wife, 49, later revealed that the “Die Hard” star had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
Moore’s podcast episode was part of a larger interview that included Emma and the book she wrote about Bruce’s condition, titled “The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path.”
Emma’s written work includes advice and insight for caregivers while sharing her personal experience with her husband’s struggle. She has already revealed they suffered “marital issues” before his diagnosis and the “alarming” symptoms he showed prior.
Emma, however, copped backlash for disclosing that they moved Willis into a “second home” with a full-time care team, calling the decision “one of the hardest decisions” she’s ever made.
Moore, who was married to Willis from 1987 until their divorce was finalized in 2000, stood up for Emma in the interview.
“There is no road map for how to deal with this,” the actress told Winfrey.
“Obviously, being the ex-wife, even though our family is very connected, is an interesting position,” she continued. “So much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out, and the most beautiful thing, and she talks about this in the book, was recognizing the importance for caregivers that they have to take care of themselves. And if they don’t put that time into making sure that they’re okay, that they then can’t show up for anyone else.”
Moore shared she has “so much compassion for Emma in this, being a young woman. There’s no way that anybody could have anticipated where this was going to go.”
Emma wed Willis in 2009.
The actress believes his wife has “done a masterful job” navigating Willis’ health journey, explaining, “She has been so dedicated to forging the right path. She’s had equal amounts of fear and strength and courage in navigating this. I think that this book is gonna really be very helpful for a lot of people who are walking through this.”
Despite being officially divorced for nearly 25 years, Moore and Willis have remained tight, as they share three daughters: Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31.
Moore further explained to Winfrey that it’s “difficult” to watch her ex’s decline.
“It’s hard to see somebody who was so, you know, vibrant and strong and so directed shift into this other parts of themself,” she stated. “But, my particular perspective is — one, I really always say it’s so important just to meet them where they’re at. Don’t have an expectation of them needing to be who they were or who you want them to be. And when you do that, I find that there is an incredible sweetness and something that’s soft and tender and loving.”
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