Bruce Willis' Stunt Double Details 'Changes' in Star Pre-Aphasia Diagnosis

Bruce Willis' stunt double of 17 years has described the "changes" he saw in the Hollywood star ahead of his aphasia diagnosis.

It was announced on Wednesday that Unbreakable star Willis, 67, is stepping away from acting after his diagnosis with the condition. Aphasia, due to injury to the brain, can impair language by impacting the "production or comprehension" of speech and the ability to read or write, according to the National Aphasia Association.

The actor's stunt double, Stuart F. Wilson, revealed in an interview with The Sun that while it wasn't immediately clear something was wrong with Willis, he noticed that there appeared to be issues over the past year.

He said: "We had seen some changes, but a lot of times with bigger celebrities that are really, really popular like, like Bruce, they have a million different things going on.

"Sometimes when you were talking to him, he just seemed sidetracked and we would think it would mean nothing but you would wonder if there are other things going on."

The questions only increased, Wilson said, when he became aware that Willis was undergoing tests "for different things."

"Being with somebody that much yeah, you see the changes," Wilson went on. "Obviously we knew there was other stuff going on at a certain point in time.

"We realized because he's getting tested for different things, but at the time we didn't know exactly what it was."

Wilson also revealed that he noticed a slight change in Willis' appearance when he last met up with him two weeks ago.

"He's just a little leaner now but never was a big eater anyway," he said. "You know, when we go out to dinner, he'd order you know quite a bit of stuff and he just picks at it.

"So he's a little leaner. When I saw him a couple weeks ago, he's just a little leaner than normal but not emaciated, and he's always been in pretty good shape."

Stuntman Wilson, who had last worked with Willis in mid-December, said that he was aware that an announcement would be coming, though he didn't know of the specifics.

Recounting the last time he worked with Willis, Wilson said: "The bulk of the team had a feeling that he'd take a break. He was doing some medical testing and stuff like that. So we just figured, okay maybe he'll take a break."

Willis' daughter, Rumer Willis, on Wednesday shared an Instagram post announcing that her famous father was stepping back from acting in light of his diagnosis.

The statement read: "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.

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

"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 message was signed by seven names that appeared to reference Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and his children Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn Willis. The message was accompanied by a picture of Bruce Willis wearing sunglasses and a bathrobe.

According to the National Aphasia Association, the disorder stems from brain injuries and most commonly comes after an individual suffers a stroke, particularly among the older population. But a brain injury that leads to aphasia can also be a result of head trauma from brain tumors and infections, the association said.