Emma Heming Willis says taking care of her family has “taken a toll” on her.
The 43-year-old model, who’s married to Bruce Willis, spoke about her family life and how she takes care of herself in a new interview — and admitted she was prioritizing the wellness of others over her own. Her comment follows the news that her 67-year-old husband was retiring from acting due to aphasia, a cognitive disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak and understand others.
“I struggle with making the time for self-care every day,” Emma told The Bump. “I put my family’s needs above my own, which I found does not make me any kind of hero. That amount of care for everyone else within my household had taken a toll on my mental health and overall health, and it served no one in my family.”
Emma — who shares daughters Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8 with Bruce — said she was given advice “not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself. That stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me.”
She added, “I don’t mother myself perfectly but I know that I have some basic baseline needs that are a must, like first and foremost, exercise. It’s a time I can disconnect and can do something that I know makes me feel good overall.”
Emma also spoke about how much she cherishes her family, which also includes her stepdaughters — Rumer, 33, Scout 30, and Tallulah, 28, from Bruce’s marriage to Demi Moore.
“I always wanted a family for as long as I could remember,” said the Cocobaba skincare founder. “If I had a vision board (which I don’t), family would be the center and everything else would filter around that. The girls bring so much love, laughter and life into our home. For us as a family, it’s always been about making memories. I’m not even sure we have rituals or traditions. We just love spending time with each other and we know that time is precious, and I don’t take that for granted.”
On March 30, Emma, Mabel, Evelyn as well as Demi, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah made a joint statement sharing the news that the Die Hard movie star was retiring due to his health issues.
“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” they said. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.”
The announcement coincided with a Los Angeles Times report in which nearly two dozen people who had been on set with Bruce in recent years (for mostly straight-to-VOD movies), expressed concern about his well-being. They said he often seemed confused on set, once asking, “Why am I here?” Another claim was that he unexpectedly fired a gun loaded with a blank on the wrong cue, but that was denied by the project’s producer and armorer.
Since the announcement, Emma has shared photos and videos of their precious family time, including Bruce hiking and bike riding with his younger daughters.
