Entertainment

Tallulah Willis talks dad’s condition on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’

Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on November 9, 2023

In an emotional interview Wednesday on The Drew Barrymore Show, Tallulah Willis opened up about how she is coping with father Bruce Willis‘ frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis.

Calling it a “really aggressive” and “rare” cognitive disease, Willis explained why she and her family, including stepmom Emma Heming Willis and mom Demi Moore, have been so open with the Die Hard star’s struggle.

“On one hand, it’s who we are as a family, but also, it’s really important for us to spread awareness about FTD,” the 29-year-old explained. “If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family and individually…and turn it around into something beautiful, that’s really special for us,” she added, to applause.

Of her father’s current condition, Tallulah explained, “He is the same, which…I’ve learned is the best thing I could ask for: What I see is…love when I’m with him. He’s my dad and he loves me.”

She added, “Part of this that has become a really beautiful way for me to heal with this is becoming like an archeologist to my dad’s stuff, his world, his little trinkets and doo-dads.”

Tallulah showed never-before-seen private photos of the star in his pre-fame days, which helped her find a connection with him as he’s her age in some of the shots. “He’s a goofball,” she realized. “He’s an absurd person, and I’m an absurd person.”