One of Bruce Willis’ daughters, Tallulah Willis, was slammed for how she looked when she was younger.
She was constantly made fun of for having a wide-set jaw and chin, was called horrible names, and told that she was a disappointment to her parents.
Now that she’s all grown up, she wears her traumatic experience as a badge of honor and shares her story with pride.
In her memoir, Tallulah Willis tells the story of when she was a little girl growing up with ultra-famous parents – Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. The story starts by introducing readers to an 11-year-old Tallulah sitting alone in a San Remo penthouse owned by her parents.
She had flown to New York to attend an event with her mother, where she wore what she thought was a cute outfit that would make the front cover of all the popular style websites. An eager Tallulah opened her laptop and was instantly met with an image of her and her mother standing side by side. What she had not anticipated seeing was the influx of hateful comments targeted directly at her.
Hundreds of nasty comments about how Tallulah’s face looked deformed took center stage. The heartbroken pre-adolescent’s eyes were glued to her screen as she read the negative remarks:
“Wow, she looks deformed. Look at her man jaw – she’s like an ugly version of her dad. Her mother must be so disappointed.”
Tallulah was devasted, to say the least, and carried those comments that ended up shaping her self-perception for years without telling anyone. She developed anorexia nervosa and battled with addiction, and by the time she reached age 20, she pursued psychiatric treatment to combat the negative connotations she associated her self-identity with. Being in therapy until now has enabled Tallulah to feel comfortable sharing her story.
However, she still reports the inner conflict she grapples with for not wanting to come across as spoiled because she is the daughter of famous parents. Tallulah even says that when she told her own mother about wanting to write her story for Vogue, Moore was not exactly thrilled because of her instinctual protective nature, knowing that the public would be harsh with opinions.
Nonetheless, realizing – through therapy – the need to protect oneself, she went ahead. Recognizing the lifelong journey of recovery, Tallulah still struggles with her inner saboteur to this day but has now been given the tools to deal with her emotions more healthily, as opposed to bottling it all up inside.
She details how, in the past, she was terrified of being destroyed by her sadness, but she has now taken on a bubblier and sunnier energy which allows her to be present in every moment and spend a lot of time with her dad. Through therapy, she learned the accuracy of the saying, which claims that one cannot love anyone else without loving oneself first.
After finally sharing her story, journey to recovery, and getting closer to a place of self-acceptance, Tallulah was trolled yet again. The famous daughter took to Instagram to share some of the nasty messages she had received. The critic outright body-shammed her, saying that she looked fat, and Tallulah posted screenshots of the messages to her Instagram feed and revealed that she has been struggling with an eating disorder:
“I think it’s important to share this, that this happens, that this happens to a healing person in recovery, who has been honest about how very sick she was/is and is working daily to find safety and home within her skin…I’m very thankful I’ve gotten to a place where I don’t become dismantled by strangers’ words (for the most part).”
Ending the caption off by stating that she loves herself, Tallulah garnered support from many loved ones. Her mom, Moore, her sister – Scout, and her father’s wife, Emma Heming, were front and center in supporting her and praising her for being strong. Mama Moore’s words expressed how proud she was of her daughter and encouraged her to continue being herself:
“I am so proud of you! People often can only reflect their own fear. Be you in all your forms, and keep shining your gorgeous, glorious light!”
In the past, Tallulah has been very candid and frank about her longtime battle with an eating disorder, addiction, and body dysmorphia. She also opened up about the fact that for some time, she resented looking like her father more so than her mother because of the previously spoken about backlash she received over her features.
It took a long time to accept herself, and her journey still continues to this day. Tallulah has also given advice to others who may be struggling with body dysmorphia and finding it difficult to love themselves. By providing tips that she says have helped her many a time from spiraling, Tallulah reminds everyone to show themselves grace.
When she is not too busy advocating for mental health through her creative pursuits, Tallulah spends her days reading sci-fi novels, checking out real estate, and practicing self-care.
Following in both her mom’s and dad’s footsteps, Tallulah has dabbled in the acting scene and has featured in a few noteworthy productions. She is most well-known for her roles in “The Scarlet Letter,” “Bandits,” and “The Whole Ten Yards.”
“The Scarlet Letter” was a family affair as her mom Moore played the lead, and her sister, Scout, also played a role in the film. Similarly, “Bandits” starred her father, Willis, and according to reports, Tallulah and her sisters were only allowed to work in their parents’ movies for the duration of their teenage years.
After taking a pause from filming movies, Tallulah’s next appearance came in Tyler, The Creator’s music video for his song “Tamale.” Since then, she has been spotted in a few episodes of “Catfish” as a guest co-host.
Aside from acting, she is also interested in creative arts. Recently, she has become known for her visual artworks, which can be found splattered across her Instagram page.
In 2020, Tallulah debuted her clothing line that features her artwork called Wyllis. The line boasts finely curated bold Hawaiin shirts, butterfly-print pants, and feminine dresses, each with its own ode to and focus on mental health – a topic close to her heart.
With a heavy focus on inclusivity and self-acceptance, Tallulah has made sure to accommodate every shape and size and has made her clothing affordable. In keeping with her giving nature, 10% of all proceeds get donated to a foundation that provides free therapy to communities of color – specifically women and young girls of color.
When she is not too busy advocating for mental health through her creative pursuits, Tallulah spends her days reading sci-fi novels, checking out real estate, and practicing self-care. Despite the backlash and influx of negative comments about her appearance, Tallulah pushed forward on her journey to self-love and acceptance and continues encouraging others to do the same.
