Bruce Willis' Wife Emma Heming Claims Actor 'Doesn't Know' He's Battling Dementia — 'That's the Blessing and the Curse of This'
Emma Heming claimed Bruce Willis 'doesn't know' he's battling dementia.
Jan. 28 2026, Published 12:20 p.m. ET
Bruce Willis' wife and caregiver Emma Heming has confessed the actor doesn't know he's battling dementia, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
During a recent podcast appearance, Heming, 47, revealed Willis, 70, "never tapped in" and "never connected the dots" with his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis (FTD).
Heming opened up on receiving Willis' diagnosis and how aware he is of his disease.
Heming opened up about her marriage and Willis' diagnosis on the Conversations with Cam podcast with host Cameron Rogers.
She recalled the doctor's appointment when the actor was diagnosed with FTD, and they were given "no treatment, no hope, no roadmap, no support."
After discussing the complexities of FTD and how the disease differs from Alzheimer's, Rogers asked Heming if a person diagnosed with FTD could "progress from certain stages or pillars" of the disease, like behavioral changes.
Emma Heming Explains How Bruce Willis' 'Brain is Changing'
Heming said a neurological condition known as anosognosia has prevented Willis' brain from identifying 'what's happening to it.'
Willis' wife explained, "a lot of these types of dementia do at some point start affecting other parts of the brain" before noting "dementia plays out so differently in everybody."
"Does he know that he has FTD? Like people with FTD, are they aware, or is this just what they think is their normal?" asked Rogers.
"I think they think it's this is their normal, and it's not for everybody, but it is, um, there is this term, this neurological condition that sort of comes with FTD and other types of dementia as well called anosognosia, where it's where your brain can't identify what is happening to it," Heming explained.
"So where people think this might be denial, like they don't want to go to the doctor cuz they're like I'm fine. I'm fine. Actually, it's this is the anosognosia that comes into play; it's not denial. It's just that their brain is changing."
Emma Heming Says She's 'Really Happy' Bruce Willis is Unaware of Disease
Heming confessed she's 'really happy' Willis is unaware of his disease.
"This is a part of the disease," Heming continued. "So you know, I think that's like the blessing and the curse of this is that, um, Bruce never tapped in. He never connected the dots that he had this disease."
Heming added she was "really happy" that her husband was never aware of the extent of his diagnosis.
She also noted Willis is "still very much present in his body" despite his disease.
"We have progressed along with him," she said. "We've adapted along with him."
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Heming has shared the challenges she's faced acting as Willis' caregiver, including moving him into his own home.
As Radar reported, Heming previously confessed to making the difficult decision to move Willis out of their family home and into his own home down the street, where he received around-the-clock care in a more calming environment.
Heming and Willis share two young daughters, Mabel and Evelyn. The Die Hard star shares adult daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah with ex-wife Demi Moore.
"This is the best decision for our family. It was the safest one, and our family is now, in essence, thriving," Heming explained. "People don't realize all the needs that go unmet behind closed doors, and now our children's needs are met. They are in a home where they can have play dates and sleepovers, these things that we don't even think about. Their world is completely opened up, and so has my husband's."
