Actor Liam Neeson’s latest movie has him thinking about Bruce Willis following his recent diagnosis.
According to the New York Post, Neeson plays the role of a deadly assassin facing the onset of Alzheimer’s in the movie “Memory.”
Last month, Willis’ family announced he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a medical condition that makes it difficult for patients to understand language and communicate.
Neeson told the Post, “My heart goes out to him. I think about him every day.”
He added, “It’s particularly poignant, isn’t it? I wish him all the best.”
Neeson explained he has a fear of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“It has crossed my mind a few times, especially when you can’t remember a name of an actor I worked with two or three years ago,” Neeson said. “That bugs me. But maybe we all suffer that.”
He continued, “In doing some research for this, I watched some very traumatic documentaries on the affliction of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and read some books on it of course. And I have a friend in Ireland, who is older than me, [who] has very definite early stages of dementia, which is traumatic to see … It is a horrible affliction. It really is.”
The actor noted he knows “several actors in London … who have lost the ability to learn lines,” adding, “They just can’t learn the material. And these are actors who have given extraordinary performances on stage and on film and television.”
Liam Neeson on why 'Memory' makes him think of Bruce Willis 'every day' https://t.co/ihXuzBFqkE pic.twitter.com/YuxK8x93T8
— New York Post (@nypost) April 18, 2022
Willis’ family issued a statement following his diagnosis, saying it is a “really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.”
The statement continues, “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.”
