Aussie director lobbies for Bruce Willis to receive an Oscar following his dementia diagnosis
An Australian director is lobbying for Hollywood actor Bruce Willis to receive an honorary Oscar after he continued to act in blockbuster films with a neurological condition.
Edward Drake, who made nine films with Willis – including the Detective Knight series and American Siege – wants Willis to be recognized, as he has never won an Academy Award before.
Last month, the star’s family announced that his acting career was sadly coming to an end after announcing he had frontotemporal dementia.
Before that, the 67-year-old was diagnosed with aphasia – a condition that can affect a person’s ability to understand and express speech – but he kept acting and giving it his all.
Drake, who worked on nine films with the A-list actor, said giving Willis an honorary Oscar is “the least we can do.”
An Australian director is lobbying for Hollywood actor Bruce Willis to receive an honorary Oscar after he continued to act in blockbuster films with a neurological condition
Edward Drake (right), who made nine films with Willis – including the Detective Knight series and American Siege – wants the star recognized, as he has never won an Academy Award
“We have so many fond memories of his movies and I really believe that should be honored,” he said.
Speak against The Herald SunDrake said he was aware of Willis’ deteriorating condition as he was structuring his filming schedule.
“Everyone was absolutely aware of what was going on and we wanted to honor the man and his wishes and create this incredibly safe and supportive environment with his team,” he said.
“That meant adapting some of the roles he played,” he added.
The 32-year-old executive said Willis was a pleasure to work with, and despite his condition, his mantra was to always “live it out.”
Last month, the star’s family announced that his acting career was sadly coming to an end after announcing he had frontotemporal dementia.
The 32-year-old director said Willis was a pleasure to work with, and despite his condition, his mantra was to always ‘live it out’
Detective Knight: Independence, which came out in January of this year, was the last film they worked on together.
Their first was Anti-Life, which was released in 2020, and the Melbourne director said he got along with the star right away as he appreciated his “Australian brutality”.
Meanwhile, the Die Hard star’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, is using her voice to “raise awareness” of frontotemporal dementia following her husband’s diagnosis of the disorder.
In a video posted to her Instagram last week, Willis, 44, spoke about channeling her pain into “something good” and using her platform to spread awareness of the condition.
“I just saw something I got my five minutes, which is great. Which means you’re listening. So I’m going to take my five minutes and I’m going to make it ten because I’m always going to advocate for my husband,” she began.
‘And while I’m at it, I’m going to draw attention to FTD and to healthcare providers, who are unsung heroes. And then, and then, I’m going to redirect my sadness and my anger and my sadness and do something good around something that feels less than. So watch this space, because I didn’t come to play.’
It’s been a year since Willis’s family announced that the actor, 67, would end his career after being diagnosed with aphasia. Last month, his family said the disease had progressed to frontotemporal dementia.
The caption of the post read, “Just here my 5 minutes turns into 10. I’ve been sitting still for too long and I’m so ready to be embraced by this solid and loving community my family and I find ourselves in as we try to to lift them up in return. Let’s go. #ftdawareness #dementiaawareness #caregiversupport’.
Detective Knight: Independence, which came out in January of this year, was the last film they worked on together
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