NEWSDirector Kevin Smith Apologizes For 'Petty Complaints' About Bruce Willis After Aphasia Diagnosis
March 31 2022, Published 8:55 a.m. ET
Writer and director Kevin Smith is taking back his previous comments about Bruce Willis following news of the actor's heartbreaking diagnosis.
The Die Hard star's family announced on Wednesday, March 30, that he would be retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, which causes impairments to cognitive abilities.
Following the announcement, Smith, 51 — who worked with Willis on the 2010 film Cop Out — took to social media to apologize for complaints he made in the past about Willis, 67, and his time with the father-of-five on set.
"Long before any of the Cop Out stuff, I was a big Bruce Willis fan — so this is really heartbreaking to read. He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him," Smith wrote via Twitter on Wednesday. "I feel like an a**hole for my petty complaints from 2010. So sorry to BW and his family."
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After directing Willis in 2010, Smith spoke out during a podcast episode and complained about the difficulty of working with the A-lister, calling the experience "f**king soul crushing," per a report from Entertainment Tonight.
"It was difficult," he continued, noting that Willis "wouldn't even sit for a f**king poster shoot."
Smith also explained that if it hadn't been for Willis' costar on the film, Tracy Morgan, "I might have killed either myself or someone else in the making of f**king Cop Out."
As OK! reported, Willis' family — including his wife, Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and his five daughters — shared a statement on behalf of the beloved actor to let his fans know what has been going on with his health.
"To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities," the statement alongside a photo of Willis read.
"As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," the post continued. "This is a really 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," the heartfelt statement concluded.
