Who Is Bruce Willis’ Wife? All About Emma Heming Willis (and How She Finds ‘Power’ in Advocating for Fellow Caregivers After His Dementia Diagnosis)

Mar. 15, 2025

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming attend the “Glass” New York Premiere at SVA Theater on January 15, 2019 in New York City.Photo:Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

No one is a bigger fan ofBruce Willisthan his wife,Emma Heming Willis.

Since meeting in 2007, the former model has been openly supportive of her husband’s talent and kindhearted nature — and Emma has continued to celebrate their bond in the wake of hisaphasiadiagnosis in March 2022 and later frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis.

On their 17th anniversary in December 2024, Emma reflected on their beautiful relationship.

“Anniversaries used to bring excitement — now, if I’m honest, they stir up all the feelings … I give myself 30 minutes to sit in the ‘why him, why us,’ to feel the anger and grief. Then I shake it off and return to what is,” she wrote onInstagram. “And what is…is unconditional love. I feel blessed to know it, and it’s because of him. I’d do it all over again and again in a heartbeat.”

Emma and Bruce tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed their first child,Mabel Ray Willis, in 2012. Their second daughter,Evelyn Penn Willis, was born two years later. TheDie Hardactor also shares three daughters with his ex-wifeDemi Moore, whom he was married to until 2000.

A year after his aphasia and retirement announcement,Bruce was diagnosedwith FTD, a group of brain disorders that can lead to speech issues, loss of motor skills and personality changes.

Emma has since been a vocal advocate for FTD research to find a cure and continued support for those in caregiving roles — she founded Make Time Wellness to promote brain health for women and caregivers of those with dementia.

Emma Heming at Elizabeth Grant Skincare during Silver Spoon Hollywood Buffet at Private Residence in Beverly Hills, California.J.Sciulli/WireImage for Verrago

J.Sciulli/WireImage for Verrago

Emma was born in Malta, an island country south of Italy she described as “small but beautiful” on her now-closed blog. After her parents divorced, she moved to London with her mother, where she launched her modeling career on the showThe British Elle Supermodelin the ‘90s.

She’s appeared on magazine covers and walked the runway

Emma Heming attends the Glamour Magazine 2006 Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall on October 30, 2006 in New York.Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic

Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic

During her decades-long modeling career, Emma has been featured in magazines likeVogue,Marie ClaireandElle —and on at least one cover with her husband, Bruce. The couple were famously photographed forW Magazine’s July 2009 issue in a risqué photo shoot to which Emma later paid tribute.

“Happy 50th anniversary @wmag,” the former modelcaptioned the series of imagesin a 2022 Instagram post. “Usually we are a pretty wholesome couple till we aren’t 😉.”

Emma has also been the face of Dior cosmetics campaigns and has modeled in commercials for brands like Redken, per herliterary bio.

She and Bruce met in 2007

Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming attend the 2014 US Open men’s final at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2014 in New York City.Jean Catuffe/GC Images

Jean Catuffe/GC Images

Emma wrote on her website that she and her future husband met at their mutual trainer’s gym in 2007.

In a joint interview with Bruce in 2016, the mom of two told PEOPLE that she was surprised at “how charming and how funny” the actor was. His response? “I was already in love with her."

They married in 2009

Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming in February 2024.Emma Heming Willis/ Instagram

Emma Heming Willis/ Instagram

Bruce and Emma tied the knot on March 21, 2009, at their home in Turks and Caicos. The couple made their marriage official in a private ceremony at a friend’s Beverly Hills home the following week.

“Today marksour 15th wedding anniversary!” Emmacaptioned a touching Instagram postin 2024.  “Our union and connection is probably stronger than ever. We have two bright, fun and healthy daughters. We have a family unit that is built on mutual respect and admiration. And simply, I just love and adore the man I married."

Bruce and Emma share two daughters

Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming with their daughters Mabel Ray Willis and Evelyn Penn Willis in June 2022.Emma Heming Willis/ Instagram

In addition to the three children he shares with Moore, Bruce has two children with Emma. Mabel Ray was born on April 1, 2012, and Evelyn Penn arrived a few years later on May 5, 2014. Both of their daughters have made appearances on Emma’s Instagram, including videos of themexploring Parisand being sillyat home with their dad.

“Father’s Day is a time I get to reflect on my deep appreciation and respect I have for Bruce as I watch him father our little ones,” Emmacaptioned a sweet photoof thePulp Fictionactor kissing Mabel on the forehead in June 2023. “Where it might not be ‘conventional,’ what he’s teaching them will span generations. Unconditional love, kindness, strength, compassion, patience, generosity, resilience.”

Emma toldTown & Countryin 2024 that she’s “never tried to sugarcoat anything” about Bruce’s condition to Mabel and Evelyn.

“What I learned from our therapist was that if children ask questions, they’re ready to know the answer,” she said. “If we could see that Bruce was struggling, I would address it with the kids so they could understand, but this disease is chronic, progressive and terminal."

She supported him after his aphasia and dementia diagnoses

Bruce Willis and his wife Emma Heming attend the premiere of Universal Pictures' “Glass” at SVA Theatre on January 15, 2019 in New York City.ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

On March 30, 2022, the familyannounced on Instagramthat Bruce was retiring from his decades-long acting career after he was diagnosed with aphasia. He was later diagnosed more specifically with FTD — an update Emma described as “devastating” but also helpful in figuring out how to best support her husband.

“After our family shared the news, I felt like I could breathe,” she wrote in a November 2023 op-ed forMaria Shriver’s Sunday Paper. “Suddenly, I wasn’t alone anymore and I could seek the support Bruce, myself, and our family so desperately needed.”

Emma revealed that being able to put Bruce’s condition into a medical context not only gave her clarity but also community.

She wrote, “I wouldn’t wish an FTD diagnosis on anyone, but our journey has changed how I perceive the world … There is power in becoming an advocate for this community. It’s something that I want our kids to see me face out loud, working with others, fighting through the stigma and isolation that a disease like this can bring.”

She’s become an advocate for people with frontotemporal dementia and their caretakers

Bruce Willis smiles with wife Emma Heming.Emma Heming Willis/ Instagram

Since Bruce’s FTD diagnosis, Emma has become an advocate for families living with the disease. Shelaunched the supplements company Make Time Wellnessin 2023 to advocate for brain health and she is now the business' Chief Impact Officer. The following year, Emma and her co-founder, Helen Christoni,launched theMake TimePodcastto share advice and tips on women’s health.

Emma has also partnered with The Association for Frontotemporal Dementia (AFD) tobring awareness to FTDand the fight to find a cure.

In February 2024, Emma announced that she waswriting a bookabout her caregiving journey that is slated to be released in 2025.

“Identifying the right resources to educate and enlighten myself has been powerful and has allowed me the space to continue to move forward in the most positive way so that I can be the best mother, wife, daughter, friend and care partner,” she said in a statement. “I want to be able to share that with the next person who finds themselves here.”

source: people.com