The Evil Dead star and horror icon Bruce Campbell shared he has been diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer that will be impacting his acting career for the foreseeable future.
Campbell announced the news with a moving statement in which he shared he expects “to be around a while.”
“Hi folks, these days, when someone is having a health issue,s it’s referred to as an ‘opportunity,'” he wrote in a statement shared on social media. “So let’s go with that – I’m having one of those. It’s also called a type of cancer that’s ‘treatable’ not ‘curable.'”
“I apologize if that’s a shock – it was to me too,” he wrote.
Campbell explained that he will be focusing on his health for the foreseeable future in the hope that he will be able to go on a press tour this summer for his upcoming movie Ernie & Emma. Unfortunately, this means he will have to cancel his planned appearances at “several” fan conventions this summer.
“Big regrets on my part,” he noted. “Treatment needs and professional obligations don’t always go hand-in-hand.”
View this post on Instagram Campbell starred in Sam Raimi‘s 1981 directorial debut, The Evil Dead. The teen horror film became an instant hit after Stephen King gave it a rave review, going down in history as a cult classic. Campbell starred in and executive produced the movie.
He later starred in Raimi’s Spider-Man series, Burn Notice, Ash vs Evil Dead, and several other titles.
Campbell’s statement concluded with a rousing promise.
“That’s about it. I’m not trying [to] enlist sympathy – or advice – I just want to get ahead of this information in case false information gets out (which it will),” he wrote. “Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while. As always, you’re the greatest fans in the world and I hope to see you soon!”
Ernie & Emma marks Campbell’s latest credited role. He also voiced the Owl in A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas and appeared in an episode of Invincible in 2025.
