Actor Bruce Campbell, widely known for his role in the "Evil Dead" franchise, has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer and has a five-year prognosis. Campbell, 68, shared the news on the "Adam Corolla Show," stating that the unnamed cancer he is battling comes with a "five-year deal."
Despite the daunting diagnosis, Campbell expressed a determined mindset, stating, "I’ve decided though, pretty specifically, to live with it, not die from it." He elaborated that he is actively avoiding dwelling on the specifics of his illness or the experiences of others with similar diagnoses, choosing instead to focus on living his life.
"You can go down a massive rabbit hole. The cancer rabbit hole is enormous," Campbell said. "I won’t touch it with a 10-foot pole."
Campbell also discussed the unique circumstances of working on his new independent film, "Ernie & Emma," which he wrote, directed, produced, and stars in. In the movie, he plays a widower scattering his late wife's ashes. "It’s a very fascinating time of having a movie about a guy who’s spreading his wife’s ashes, who died, made by a guy who’s dying," he admitted.
The actor emphasized that his diagnosis will not halt his professional endeavors. "I’m moving on. I got a movie to promote. And when I promote this movie, I have nothing. I’m free and clear when I promote this movie mentally," he stated. "You have to make this decision of, ‘Well, okay, but do I have to stop everything that I’m doing because of this?’ Well, no."
Campbell announced his cancer diagnosis in March, characterizing it at the time as "treatable" but "not curable." He explained that he would need to adjust his public appearances to accommodate treatment needs. "My plan is to get as well as I possibly can over the summer so that I can tour with my new movie ‘Ernie & Emma’ this fall," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He assured fans, "Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while."
Campbell is celebrated for his iconic portrayal of Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead" series, including the original 1981 film and its sequels, as well as the television series "Ash vs. Evil Dead."