Entertainment

Tallulah Willis reveals autism diagnosis: ‘It’s changed my life’

The actress was diagnosed in the summer.

Tallulah Willis says the diagnosis has changed her life
Tallulah Willis says the diagnosis has changed her life (Doug Peters/PA)

Tallulah Willis, the daughter of US actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, has publicly spoken about her autism diagnosis for the first time.

The actress, 30, posted a video clip taken from the LA premiere of The Whole Ten Yards in 2004, where her father is answering questions on the red carpet, while she is rubbing his shaved head and playing with his ears as he holds her.

“Tell me your autistic without telling me your autistic,” Willis captioned the video, adding a crying-laughing emoji.

When asked in the comments if she was diagnosed as a child, Willis replied: “Actually this is the first time I’ve ever publicly shared my diagnosis.

“Found out this summer and it’s changed my life.”

Her sister Scout LaRue Willis also commented on the video, saying: “She’s stimming.”

Stimming, or self-stimulating behaviour, involves repeating activities involving the senses, which is often used to deal with stress and anxiety, according to the National Autistic Society.

Bruce Willis and his daughter Tallulah attend The Whole Ten Yards World Premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood
Bruce Willis and his daughter Tallulah attend The Whole Ten Yards World Premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (Alamy Stock Photo)

Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

FTD is an umbrella term for a group of dementias which mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for such things as personality, behaviour, language and speech, according to Dementia UK.

Willis is best known for films such as Die Hard, The Sixth Sense and Pulp Fiction, but has stepped away from his acting career amid his health struggles.

He has been married to Emma Heming for 15 years, but was previously married to Hollywood star Moore, with whom he has three children.