Deadwood creator David Milch has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the Emmy-winning screenwriter announced in an interview with Vulture. The profiledetails Milch’s difficult years since the surprise cancellation of Deadwood by HBO in 2006. Milch, a self-described “degenerate gambler,” accumulated about $17 million in debt, forcing him to put his houses up for sale. While he was working on what would become Deadwood: The Movie, set to premiere on HBO in May, Milch began noticing Alzheimer’s symptoms appear. A brain scan later confirmed his suspicions. “As best I understand it, which is minimally, I have a deterioration in the organization of my brain,” Milch said. “And it’s progressive. And in some ways discouraging. In more than some ways — in every way I can think of.” Despite his diagnosis, the Deadwood movie was completed. The 2-hour film is set to air on May 31 and will continue the Western drama’s storyline with the show’s sprawling original cast. Milch says he will continue writing despite his new difficulties, but did not share details about future projects.
