Don Johnson 'sends love' to lifelong friend Bruce Willis: 'He's having little bit of struggle right now'

Bruce Willis' family revealed in February 2023 that the actor, who turns 70 later this month, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
UPDATED MAR 7, 2025
Don Johnson opened up on his friendship with Bruce Willis, recalling how he helped the actor land a role before his rise to fame (Getty Images)
Don Johnson opened up on his friendship with Bruce Willis, recalling how he helped the actor land a role before his rise to fame (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Don Johnson is sending love to his longtime friend Bruce Willis.

In a recent interview Johnson spoke about his friendship with Willis and his current health condition.



 

Don Johnson says Bruce Willis is 'having a little bit of a struggle right now'

Don Johnson, in interview with Entertainment Tonight about the midseason premiere of his ABC medical drama 'Doctor Odyssey', said Bruce Willis was struggling a little. 

"We're best of friends and he's having a little bit of a struggle right now, and I take this moment to send him love," Johnson, 75, said of the 'Die Hard' star during the interview.

TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 08: Actor Don Johnson of 'Knives Out' attends The IMDb Studio Presented
Don Johnson of 'Knives Out' attends The IMDb Studio Presented By Intuit QuickBooks at Toronto 2019 at Bisha Hotel & Residences on September 8, 2019, in Toronto, Canada (Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb) 

Willis' family revealed in February 2023 that the actor, who turns 70 later this month, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

This update came after they had previously shared his aphasia diagnosis the year before.

Don Johnson recalls getting Bruce Willis a role before 'Moonlighting'

In the interview, Don Johnson recalled how he helped Bruce Willis land a role on the first season of 'Miami Vice', before Bruce Willis gained fame on TV series 'Moonlighting.'



 

"It was his first episodic TV, before Moonlighting," Johnson said as per People while discussing the connection between that early role and Bruce's daughter Rumer Willis, 36 making a cameo on 'Doctor Odyssey.'



 

"...I knew him from New York, and I'd hang out with him and he was funny," he said.

Johnson said he recommended Willis for the role. "So I called our casting director on Miami Vice and I said, 'You know, there's a guy over there and I think he's a struggling actor, and you should bring him in and read him because he's really funny and I think he'd be good," he added.

Bruce Willis attends the
Bruce Willis attends the 'Motherless Brooklyn' premiere during the 57th New York Film Festival on October 11, 2019, in New York City (Jim Spellman/Getty Images)

Johnson continued, "She brought him in and she read him and she cast him for the wife-beater," joking that sticking his neck out for his friend "wasn't that far" of a stretch.

Rumer Willis says her father is 'doing great' despite health struggles

While appearing on the UK talk show 'Loose Women' on February 3, Rumer Willis shared an update about her father’s health, saying he was “doing really well.”

"He's doing great," she said via video link on the show.



 

Rumer also spoke about her family's support system. "I think what's so beautiful is the way that we rally around each other is so lovely because we really are a unit," she added.

Her family includes her mother Demi Moore, 62, and her sisters Scout Willis, 33, and Tallulah Willis, 31.

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