Bruce Campbell, the actor known for his role in the Evil Dead franchise, has revealed doctors have given him a prognosis of five years “give or take” amid his cancer battle.
The 68-year-old, who played Ash Williams in the horror series, revealed the sad update on The Adam Carolla Show six months after he told the world his diagnosis.
Bruce Campbell has been given five years to live. Getty
“I’m in a five-year prognosis,” Campbell said.
“With the type of cancer that I have, which I don’t want to get into, the current thing is a five-year deal.”
But the prognosis isn’t going to stop him living life to the full.
“It’s a fascinating thing that takes place because [cancer] messes with your head, too. I’ve decided though, pretty specifically, to live with it, not die from it,” he explained.
“You can go down a massive rabbit hole. The cancer rabbit hole is enormous. You can go into focus groups of 10,000 guys who have exactly what you have. I won’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.”
Campbell is now focusing on his work, including promoting his new project Ernie & Emma.
“When I promote this movie, I have nothing. I’m free and clear when I promote this movie,” Campbell said.
“You have to make this decision of, ‘Oh OK, but do I have to stop everything I’m doing because of this?’ Well no. So, it’s a sort of whack-a-mole life, literally.”
“Cancer compromises s— inside your body. You don’t die from cancer, you die from what cancer does to you. It does weird s— and then you address it and move on.
Bruce Campbell has been given a five-year prognosis, but he’s still going to live his life to the full. Getty
Campbell shot to fame as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi’s iconic 1981 horror hit The Evil Dead. He reprised his role for the series Ash vs. Evil Dead, which ran between 2015 and 2018.
Over his four-decade career, the actor expanded his fanbase with starring TV roles, including The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Xena: Warrior Princess, and as fan-favourite Sam Axe in Burn Notice.
He is also famous for his frequent cameos across mainstream Hollywood, most notably appearing in all three of Raimi’s original Spider-Man films.
Bruce first shared news of his diagnosis in March 2026 on X, writing that it was a type of cancer that was “treatable, not curable.”
“I apologise if that’s a shock – it was to me too,” he wrote at the time.
“Treatment needs and professional obligations don’t always go hand-in-hand. 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).
“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.”