Arnold Schwarzenegger opens up about longtime friend Bruce Willis retiring from acting

More than a year after his longtime friend Bruce Willis retired from acting, Arnold Schwarzenegger is speaking out.

Willis, 68, announced through his family that he was retiring from acting in March 2022, after being diagnosed with aphasia, which affects language expression and understanding.

The family announced in February 2023 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia after his condition progressed.

Both Willis and Schwarzenegger were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming business partners when they formed Planet Hollywood with Sylvester Stallone, and later starred in The Expendables movies.

While promoting his new Netflix series Fubar, 75-year-old Schwarzenegger spoke about his old friend’s retirement in a new interview with CinemaBlend.

Speaking out: While promoting his new Netflix series Fubar, 75-year-old Schwarzenegger spoke about his old friend’s retirement in a new interview with CinemaBlend

Co-stars: Both Willis and Schwarzenegger were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood in the 80s and 90s, becoming business partners when they formed Planet Hollywood with Sylvester Stallone, and later starred in The Expendables movies

‘I think he’s fantastic. He was, always for years and years, a huge, huge star,” Schwarzenegger began.

And I think he’ll always be remembered as a big, big star. And a nice man,” the actor continued.

“I understand that under his circumstances, health wise, he had to retire. But generally, you know, we never really retire. Action heroes, they reload,” he concluded.

Willis’ family – including daughters Rumer and Scout – announced the actor’s retirement in February 2022 with a lengthy Instagram post revealing that his diagnosis “affected his cognitive abilities.”

“To Bruce’s wonderful supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has health issues and was recently diagnosed with aphasia, which affects his cognitive abilities.”

“As a result of this and with great consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him,” they added.

The statement added: ‘This is a truly challenging time for our family and we are so grateful for your continued love, compassion and support. We are going through this as a strong family unit and wanted to bring in his fans because we know how much he means to you as you do to him.

“As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we intend to do just that,” concluded the statement, which was signed by his wife, model Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore and all of his children.

Big star: ‘I think he’s fantastic. He was, always for years and years, a huge, huge star,” Schwarzenegger began

Supporters: ‘To Bruce’s wonderful supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has health issues and was recently diagnosed with aphasia, which affects his cognitive abilities’

According to the National Aphasia Association, the condition is a language disorder, which affects the production or understanding of speech and the ability to read or write.

The association reports that the condition is always due to injury to the brain, usually from a stroke, especially in older individuals.

Willis’ last movie – Assassin – was released at the end of March 2023 – along with the last part of his Detective Knight trilogy – Detective Knight: Independence.

Schwarzenegger currently stars in Fubar on Netflix and he has Kung Fury 2 in post-production.