Bruce Willis’ diagnosis shows people don’t know what other people, especially celebrities, are going through, experts say

Shortly after his family announced that legendary actor Bruce Willis had been diagnosed with language lossFilmmaker and actor Kevin Smith took to Twitter to share his career regret.

Smith, who repeatedly criticized Willis, 67, while he was making the 2010 film “Cop Out,” apologized for harsh comments.

Willis “loves acting and singing and the loss of that is incredible for him,” Smith tweeted last week, adding that he feels bad for his “small complaints from 2010. So sorry BW and his family.”

Smith, who declined a follow-up request for comment, was not the only one to reflect on the Willis news. The day after the family’s announcement, the organization in charge of the Razzie Awards, which recognize the year’s worst films and performances, cancel satirical award it created to mock Willis, saying it was no longer relevant.

Some pop culture experts say that Willis’ decided to retire from his career after diagnosis of aphasia is a stark reminder that people never really know what other people, especially celebrities and public figures, are going through.

“We are fed all kinds of information from celebrities in the internet age, but it is always a small part of the big picture,” said Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University. body”. “We have the illusion of getting to know celebrities intimately, but that’s just the thing: an illusion.”

Susan Mackey-Kallis, a communications professor at Villanova University who studies popular culture and analyzes films, says illusions are formed often because “people develop social relationships with other people.” famous because we have access to all the information about them through social media and our laptops and phones,” added, “But in reality, we only know the person. What that celebrity or their PR agent wants us to know.”

When the perceived image of a celebrity is disrupted by something significant – whether it’s a “brain” disorder like aphasia, criminal charges, a lawsuit or an action like a slap”—there’s an “element of surprise”” that pulls audiences short and reminds us that celebrities are people too,” says Mackey-Kallis.

In practice, she says, these rifts can sometimes lead people to “go back and revise the profile,” especially when society at large is re-examining its relationship with celebrity obsession cultureaccording to Mackey-Kallis.

Thompson repeated those thoughts.

“When people learn of something unfortunate, especially for celebrities with large backgrounds, they can feel distressed and apologetic,” he said.

Regardless of people’s intentions, Willis’ absence in front of the camera will be felt all over Hollywood, Thompson said.

“Bruce Willis has made a significant contribution to American entertainment,” Thompson said. “We should remember that he deserves sympathy now, but he also has a considerable legacy as a performer.”

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