After nearly six decades in Hollywood, the iconic Michael Douglas, now 80, recently surprised fans by declaring that he needs “to stop” acting before he ends up “dead on the set.”
Before making a name for himself as a charming yet often ruthless figure on screen in the 1980s and ’90s, Michael Douglas – who was 31 at the time – secured his first Academy Award in 1976 as a producer for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Throughout his career, the 80-year-old Douglas – son of the legendary Kirk Douglas – has transformed the portrayal of the intricate male lead with characters like the morally complex Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, which won him his second Oscar, as well as in steamy psychological thrillers such as Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct.
Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’
While Douglas has taken on a diverse array of roles during his nearly 60-year career, younger viewers likely recognize him best as Dr. Hank Pym in Marvel’s Ant-Man series.
He made his most recent appearance in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – but don’t anticipate a comeback to the MCU anytime soon.
I had the experience, and I was thrilled to do it. I’d never worked on a green screen project before,” Douglas shared with Deadline in an interview celebrating the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – the film for which his father gave him the rights to produce. “I took on The Kominsky Method because I wanted to collaborate with Chuck Lorre and explore some comedy.”
Reflecting on his career and the difficulties of juggling life as both an actor and producer, Douglas acknowledged that the constant demands were overwhelming.
“I’m relishing my break and enjoying my life. It was a lot to handle running the production company while acting simultaneously,” he mentioned, referring to Further Films, which he established in 1997. The independent production company has supported projects like Don’t Say a Word, One Night at McCool’s, and Ratched – a 2020 TV series inspired by Nurse Mildred Ratched from the Cuckoo’s Nest.
He won’t just drop dead on set.
Now, it appears that Douglas is completely stepping back from Hollywood.
While speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), the two-time Oscar winner shared that after nearly sixty years in the industry, he doesn’t intend to return to acting unless something truly “special” arises.
“I’ve had a very active career. I haven’t worked since 2022 on purpose because I realized it was time to stop,” he mentioned, according to Deadline. “I’ve been working quite hard for almost 60 years, and I didn’t want to be one of those individuals who drops dead on set.”
Happy to see his wife in action.
Douglas, who was last seen on screen as Benjamin Franklin in the 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries Franklin, expressed his eagerness to concentrate on his personal life, as reported by People.
“I’m really content with taking this time off. However, I don’t consider myself retired because if something special comes along, I’d return. I don’t have any specific plans. But I say I’m not retired because if something special came up, I’d go back. Otherwise, I’m quite satisfied. I just enjoy watching my wife work,” he added, referring to his Golden Globe-nominated wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, whom he wed in 2000.
Cancer was ‘not a vacation’.
At the festival, Douglas also reflected on his fight with stage IV cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2010. After going through intense chemotherapy, he told reporters at KVIFF that he felt “fortunate to keep working,” having dodged a more severe type of tongue cancer that could have resulted in losing part of his jaw and impacted his speech.
“Stage 4 cancer is not a vacation,” he stated. “I followed the treatment plan, which included chemo and radiation, and I was lucky. The surgery would have meant losing the ability to speak and removing part of my jaw, which would have been a limitation for me as an actor.”
Father-son film
The Golden Globe nominee is scheduled to feature in at least one more movie, Looking Through Water, which was initially titled Blood Knot. This film, currently in post-production, also includes his 46-year-old son Cameron, who was last seen in the 2022 action movie Wire Room, alongside Bruce Willis.
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