Rumer Willis: Impressing Bruce means everything

Rumer Willis finds it "validating" to have her dad's support during Dancing With the Stars.

The 26-year-old is competing in this year's competition with professional partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy, joining the likes of businessman Robert Herjavec and singer-songwriter/actor Riker Lynch.

Rumer's action hero dad Bruce has been keeping up with his daughter's progress and has visited her on set as well as cheering her on during filming.

"Most people, you know, only get to see a minute and thirty seconds of an entire week of five or six hour-a-day of rehearsal and we work really hard,” she explained to Us Weekly.

"To have him look at me and say, 'Wow, I am so impressed by the amount of work that you are putting in,' is very validating."

Bruce - who has Rumer and her sisters Tallulah, 21, and Scout, 23, with his ex-wife Demi Moore - recently admitted he's so proud of Rumer that witnessing her happiness on the dance floor makes him cry.

He isn't all serious when he drops by though.

"It was really fun, honestly!" Rumer smiled. "He's such a silly guy and to be able to have him come in when I don't get to see him that often, come in and see what we do and see the whole process of how it all comes together and see how hard I work and what we do every week is very cool."

Demi has also spurred her daughter on, sitting in the crowd during most live performances. It was only yesterday that the 52-year-old shared her encouraging words on Twitter while watching Rumer bust her moves.

"Dance off immunity!!!! Go #TeamValenRue (sic)" she wrote excitedly.