Michael Douglas puts acting on pause
Michael Douglas has revealed he has no plans to return to acting, telling reporters, “I had to stop,” after nearly 60 years in the industry.
unbranded – Entertainment
Michael Douglas is loving his time away from the spotlight.
The Oscar-winning “Wall Street” star, 81, shared an update on the status of his acting career while speaking with USA TODAY about the 50th anniversary of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the 1975 classic he produced. The film, which stars Jack Nicholson as a rebellious man fighting the powers that be in a mental institution, was recently released on 4K UHD for the first time.
Douglas, who previously revealed he has “no real intentions” of acting again, decided to hit pause after the marathon production schedule of his 2024 Apple TV series “Franklin.” After discovering how much he appreciated the time off, he kept the hiatus going.
“These limited series are tough,” he says. “They’re like seven months pretty much straight. It ended in 2022. Then in 2023, I said, ‘Let me take a break for a while.’ And quite honestly, I just loved it so much.”
Douglas adds that taking a step back made him realize how much “pressure and tension” he had been under, as he struggles with “stage fright” and anxiety. He “felt this whole weight coming off my shoulders.”
While Douglas hasn’t formally retired, he says he isn’t pursuing acting projects and is enjoying the “pace where I am right now,” spending his time traveling, playing golf and doing yoga.
“It’s the third chapter, third act,” he says. “I’m exploring other things without any great responsibility. I’m quite happy.”
Douglas also doesn’t seem to be in a rush to return because he doesn’t “like where the business is” today.
“These streamers now, after their initial competitive rush − a lot of money they poured into streaming − have really cut back,” he says. “[They] seem to be more attracted to reality shows and other low-cost options. I don’t think it’s really an inspirational time. I think we’re losing our so-called movie stars to a certain extent. It’s just hard to break through.”
Douglas first shared news of his acting hiatus during a July appearance at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. At the time, he noted he had “been working pretty hard for almost 60 years, and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set.”
“If something special came up, I’d go back,” he said. “But otherwise, I’m quite happy.”
Speaking to USA TODAY two days before Thanksgiving, Douglas got reflective about what he’s most thankful for this year. The “Fatal Attraction” star has been married to Catherine Zeta-Jones since 2000, and they have a son and a daughter together. He also shares a son with his ex-wife, Diandra Luker.
“I’m thankful for my health, for my beautiful wife and my children,” he says. “I’m very grateful to have the family around me that I have.”
