Emma Heming Willis, wife of actor Bruce Willis, has shared details about the early days of their relationship, including their first meeting in 2005 when she was engaged to someone else. The couple, married in 2009, share two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn.
Their introduction occurred at a gym frequented by celebrities. Heming, a model who had previously walked for Victoria's Secret and been named one of Maxim's Top 100 beautiful women, recalled meeting Willis, a prominent Hollywood figure. She admitted that she had not previously given Willis much thought due to her indifference towards action movies, despite his past success on the series "Moonlighting."
Following their initial encounter, Heming described Willis to her mother as a "lovely man." However, her mother reminded her that she was engaged at the time. Heming eventually began dating Willis years later, after her engagement ended.
She disclosed these details on Hoda Kotb's podcast "Making Space." While Heming did not name her former fiancé, reports identify him as Los Angeles nightlife entrepreneur Brent Bolthouse. Bolthouse has since been featured on "The Hills" and owns the popular Santa Monica venue The Bungalow.
Heming described Willis as warm, charismatic, and funny, noting his genuine interest in learning about her. "There was just something really warm, safe and fun. My husband is just so full of life and it was a really beautiful time," she said.
Willis and Heming married in 2009. Approximately 11 years prior, Willis separated from his first wife, Demi Moore, with whom he has three daughters: Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. Willis has spoken in the past about finding happiness with Heming after a period of being single and unhappy.
In 2022, Willis stepped away from his acting career due to aphasia, a condition affecting language abilities. His family announced in 2023 that his condition had progressed to frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Heming, Moore, and Willis' daughters have been supportive throughout his health journey. Heming has also authored a book about his illness, titled "The Unexpected Journey."
Heming recently discussed the challenging decision to move Willis into a separate one-story home with a full-time care team, a move she stated was for their daughters' needs. She has faced public criticism for this decision but defended it, emphasizing the difference between external opinions and lived experience.
A family insider previously told the Daily Mail that Willis' health has been rapidly declining, and he sometimes does not recognize familiar faces. The source added that his daughters are spending as much time as possible with him, noting that "He lights up when he sees his children."