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Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2022. Over the last three years, his family has kept his day-to-day condition private while still giving us fans semi-regular updates. In September, Emma Heming Willis released a poignant book with the lessons she’s learned as Bruce’s caretaker.
Since then, Emma has given some powerful and helpful interviews about how she and her family have been dealing with Bruce’s diagnosis. While at a recent conference, Emma mentioned that she and her family still watch Die Hard with Bruce every Christmastime because…well, it’s a Christmas movie.
Emma Heming Willis and husband Bruce Willis are sticking with the classics this holiday season.
“I think it’s important to put Die Hard on because it’s a Christmas movie,” the model-actress-author, 47, tells PEOPLE exclusively at the recent End Well 2025 conference in Los Angeles. The 1988 action hit starring Bruce, 70, as John McClane is a perennial favorite — including for the Willis family.
“Bruce loved Christmas and we love celebrating it with him,” says Emma. Following her husband’s frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis, Emma says, “There is still joy. It just looks different.”
Asked for advice for the families and caregivers of those in similar positions, Emma agrees that it can be “so hard… if it’s a holiday that has always brought so much fun and joy and connection and family,” she says.
“You have to learn and adapt and make new memories, bring in the same traditions that you had before,” she adds. “Life goes on. It just goes on. Dementia is hard, but there is still joy in it. I think it’s important that we don’t paint such a negative picture around dementia.”
My mom’s cousin passed away from dementia early on Thanksgiving morning, so this subject has been on my mind over the last week. What struck me the most about what Emma said was how families have to “learn and adapt and make new memories.” I think that sentiment is applicable for a variety of situations in which life changes so drastically. It is not always easy to adapt and make new memories in dire circumstances, but it is a crucial part of our ability to be able to accept and move forward.
Also, I don’t know where everyone else stands on this, but I am firmly in the camp that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. It’s a Christmas movie for both adults and action-movie fans! Sure, it originally came out on July 22, 1988, but that’s just Christmas-in-July. There’s no rule that says a Christmas movie has to drop in Nov/Dec and feature Santa or Rudolph or Frosty. Mr. Rosie and I have a ritual where we watch it every year in mid-December while drinking hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps. Would we do that if it wasn’t a Christmas movie? I think not. We probably wouldn’t even do a yearly rewatch.
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I think the people who say that die hard isn’t a christmas movie are just more rigid in their definition of what a christmas movie is. I TOTALLY agree that it’s a christmas movie–it takes place during a christmas party, so I don’t understand how people argue it isn’t a christmas movie. It’s an action christmas movie. My husband does not think taking place during a christmas party is enough, he thinks a christmas movie has to be “about christmas,” which is too rigid a definition IMO. I like to welcome more movies to the party, not gatekeep
It seems like Bruce really lucked out when he met the women in his life
That is the most Gen X thing I’ve read today. And as a young Gen Xer, I whole heartedly endorse it. Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
I’m glad Bruce’s family is there for him and making memories for themselves even as his fades. Dementia is one of the cruelest diseases, not just for the patient, but for everyone that loves them as well.
I watch Die Hard at Christmas every year. It’s a great movie. I also LOVE Alan Rickman.
2 things
Die Hard is a Christmas movie for gen-x people at least. I watch it every year.
Some people watch Love Actually first, then Die Hard so they can see Alan Rickman get punished for what he did to Emma Thompson. Which is fair.
One spot above Die Hard, for me, is Scrooged. That is my favorite A Christmas Carol retelling (with the Muppets’ version coming in a close 2ne).
2nd thing.
She puts a very pretty bow on dementia. It is a miserable, horrific experience watching your loved on drift away while being physically next to you.
As to point #2, to be fair to her, she has spoken of the more horrific parts of dementia. The fact that he can no longer live safely within their home and with his children is a huge admission by her, and one that she has taken all sorts of crap for. As someone who cared for two parents, one of whom had dementia, I admire her greatly. She is right – life must go on, especially for a woman with youngish kids to raise. We still laughed a lot with my mom at the end – it was absolutely brutal and there were more tears than laughter, but we found a way whenever we could. Sounds like you may be a caregiver as well — all strength, support and hugs to you!! Caregivers are the true super heros.
As both a gen xer and a caregiver for 10 years to both my parents, I totally agree. So hard. (lol)
Watching your loved one continue to leave pieces of themselves by the wayside as the days and months pass is brutal. I cared for both my parents too til the end, and my mom’s dementia was the hardest. I recognize the trauma I can see on Emma’s face sometimes. Though I wish I had her resources. My parents used their retirement resources and mine by the end (My mom passed just before Covid and my dad passed this past Spring) Now in my mid fifties, I’m trying to figure out how to start over financially. Yikes. If I ran the world, I’d let any caregiver take early SSI.
But, honestly, how is there even a debate about this being a Christmas movie?
Yep, caregivers rule. Much love to all my caregiver brothers and sisters out there. After going through what we do, we’re family. 🙂
Die Hard is the best Christmas movie ever!
I lost my Mom to dementia. You lose your loved one a piece at a time.
I think Emma is doing what she thinks is best for her family, and is very fortunate that she has the resources to handle it as she wants. With Gene Hackman’s recent-ish death, I’m sure she wants to feel that Bruce is safe from a similar ending.
Does anyone know if this type of dementia is related to a possible brain injury? I just wonder if he was injured while making his many action movies.
Totally agree that Die Hard should be watched at Christmas. You know the season doesn’t really start until you see Hans Gruber fall from the Nakatomi Plaza! We like to have Twinkies on hand for our watching 🙂
Every year my friend sends me a picture of the Nakatomi Plaza advent calendar where each day Hans Gruber gets a floor closer to the bottom.
Oh, that’s hilarious!
My sister got me that advent calendar! She also got me an ornament of the scene where Bruce is crawling through the ductwork. I’m so thankful she’s maintaining Bruce’s dignity.
We and our friends were delighted that we managed to get tickets to see it as part of a film festival on the 19th Dec this year. We’re counting down!
Such a great film and absolutely a Christmas movie.
Love and grace to them and their families. God bless.
I’m firmly in the non-Christmas movie camp. The movie could take place during any other type of office party and it wouldn’t affect the plot. Any sort of gathering would do.
But more importantly, Christmas isn’t a character in Die Hard. Decisions aren’t made because of the “Christmas spirit.” Outside of the movie taking place at that time of year, Christmas really has no bearing on the story, character development, or motivations.
That’s my take. If others think it’s a Christmas movie far be it from me to yuck that yum. As long as we all agree that it’s a darn good movie.