Celebrity Extra: Bruce Willis
By Dana Jackson
Q: How is Bruce Willis doing since he was diagnosed with a neurological disorder? I've enjoyed his work ever since seeing him in "Moonlighting," with Cybill Shepherd. -- P.I.
A: It's hard to believe it's been 38 years since Bruce Willis debuted as charming P.I. David Addison Jr., opposite his boss, former model Maddie Hayes, played by Cybill Shepherd. The two quarreled both on screen and off, but their chemistry was a hit with viewers, making the show last five seasons. Willis went on to be a mega movie star in the "Die Hard" franchise, among other films, but last March, it was announced that he was retiring from acting at age 67 after being diagnosed with a cognitive disorder called aphasia.
Sadly, in February of this year, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, announced that his condition has progressed and that they now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia. Fortunately, he has a wonderful support system that includes his ex-wife, actress Demi Moore, and their children, along with his two daughters with Emma.
Bruce Willis. Photo Credit: Depositphotos
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Q: I only recently started watching the family saga "Succession" on HBO. What drew me in was the opening theme music. Is it an original piece for the show? -- A.K.
A: When composer Nicholas Britell was interviewed on the "CBS News Sunday Morning" show, he said that when he was a young boy, he asked his mother for piano lessons after hearing the theme to the movie "Chariots of Fire." This didn't lead him down a straight path to Hollywood, however. He worked on Wall Street for a while before quitting, to chase his dream.
He told CBS he wanted the theme about a dysfunctional wealthy family to sound a little off: "The pianos are out of tune with each other. The strings are a little bit off. This should feel kind of like something's a little wrong here." His instincts were right, and it led to him winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
Before being hired for "Succession," he already had an excellent reputation in the industry, having earned Oscar nominations for three different movie scores: "Moonlight," "If Beale Street Could Talk" and "Don't Look Up."
The fourth and final season of "Succession" returns to HBO on March 26. In the meantime, you can hear more of Britell's creations with the Disney+ series "Andor" and in the upcoming live-action film "Mufasa: The Lion King."
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Q: What happened to Taylor Kinney on "Chicago Fire"? Did he leave the show? -- G.M.
A: On a recent episode of the hit NBC series "Chicago Fire," it was mentioned that Taylor Kinney's character, Lt. Kelly Severide, had gone to Alabama for arson investigation training. Off-screen, the actor has chosen to take a hiatus from the show for personal reasons. He's still in the credits, though, and Capt. Tom Van Meter (Tim Hopper) assured Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) that Severide isn't "planning a transfer."
Kinney has been with the show since 2012, so hopefully, he just needs a little R&R and will return before the season ends.
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