Evil Dead Star Bruce Campbell Opens Up on His Cancer Battle and Why He Refuses to Let It Define Him

Movie icon Bruce Campbell has shared a sobering update on his health, revealing during a September 3 appearance on "The Adam Carolla Show" that doctors have given him a five-year prognosis following the cancer diagnosis he first disclosed in March.

"The current thing is a five-year deal," Campbell told podcast host Adam Carolla, who asked directly, "So the prognosis is you have five years to live?" Campbell's reply: "Give or take."

The 68-year-old actor, best known for the "Evil Dead" franchise, said he has chosen a specific mindset in facing the illness. "I've decided, pretty specifically, to live with it, not die from it," he said, adding that he avoids dwelling on statistics or online forums about his diagnosis. "The cancer rabbit hole is enormous... I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole."

Campbell, who has not disclosed the specific type of cancer, described the toll as more mental than physical, calling the day-to-day experience "a whack-a-mole life." He was on the podcast primarily to discuss his new film "Ernie & Emma," a drama he wrote, directed, and starred in about a widower processing grief - a story he said has taken on new personal weight since his diagnosis.

Campbell previously told The Detroit News he is "managing" his condition and intends to "live my life as close to what is normal as I can for as long as I can."

Whatever the road ahead holds, Campbell's resolve to keep living fully rather than be consumed by fear is a posture worth holding in prayer - for him, and for anyone facing a hard diagnosis of their own.