Bruce Willis Suffered Mistreatment on Set? Retired Actor's Rep Addresses Claims
Bruce Willis was reportedly mistreated by producer Randall Emmett in one of his movie sets.
Amid Willis' health battle, he became a subject of buzz claiming that Emmett maltreated him while they worked together.
The actor's representative and lawyer, Martin Singer, immediately commented on the rumor via a statement to Los Angeles Times. According to him, the producer knew about the actor's condition before working with him.
In fact, the Hollywood producer pushed him to work regardless of his status.
"My client continued working after his medical diagnosis because he wanted to work and was able to do so, just like many others diagnosed with aphasia who are capable of continuing to work," Singer said. "Because Mr. Willis appeared in those films, they could get financed. That resulted in literally thousands of people having jobs, many during the COVID-19 pandemic."
The shocking news came after Willis' family announced his retirement following his aphasia diagnosis.
"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," Emma Heming Willis said.
Johns Hopkins Medicine says that aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage in a patient's brain that controls comprehension. People diagnosed with the disease are unable to communicate properly with others how they used to. Unfortunately, it could also lead to stroke.
Where Did the Rumor Begin?
The talks started when the Los Angeles Times reported that Emmett told her then-fiancee, Lala Kent, that the actor was struggling during the filming.
"I can't do this anymore. It's just so sad. Bruce can't remember any of his lines. He doesn't know where he is," the producer purportedly said in September 2020, per ET Canada.
Kent responded and told him that their stunt coordinator and first assistant director were struggling. Crew members claimed to have witnessed Willis needing help in order to record his scenes.
At one point, the actors apparently helped him with his lines through an earpiece.
Willis and Emmett worked together in a number of films before the actor's retirement, including in the producer's directorial debuts, "Midnight in the Switchgrass."
The Hollywood producer also faces allegations of abuse and inappropriate behavior. He was accused of damaging claims, including offering acting work in exchange for sexual favors and forcing assistants to do illegal activities for him.
