Michael Douglas reveals he has "no real intentions" of acting again; Insists 'I'm not retired because...'
Michael Douglas
has revealed that he has no plans to return to acting, but has clarified that he is not retiring yet.
Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, the 80-year-old screen icon reflected on stepping back after nearly six decades in the industry.
'I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realised I had to stop,' Douglas said, as reported by Variety.
'I 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. I have no real intentions of going back. I say I'm not retired because if something special came up, I'd go back — but otherwise, no.'
Douglas, whose career includes two Academy Awards and dozens of iconic roles, also took a critical look at Hollywood's evolving landscape. Recalling the legendary 1976 Oscars Best Picture race which had One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Barry Lyndon, and Nashville battling for glory, he asked, 'In the last 20 years, has there ever been anywhere near that kind of quality of movies there?'
The actor's comments came amidst producer Saul Zaentz's plans of revisiting Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, told from the perspective of Chief Bromden. Zaentz clarified that it wouldn't be a remake of the film but rather a series rooted in the original novel's narrative, with the story continuing beyond the death of the
Jack Nicholson
character.
Douglas also opened up about his personal battles, notably his fight with stage 4 throat cancer. 'Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday, but there aren't many choices, are there?' he said candidly. 'I went with the program, involving chemo and radiation, and was fortunate. The surgery would have meant not being able to talk and removing part of my jaw — and that would have been limiting as an actor.'
While he teased the possibility of 'one little independent movie' currently in early development, Douglas made it clear that he is enjoying a quieter life. 'In the spirit of maintaining a good marriage,' he quipped, 'I'm happy to play the wife' to his long-time partner, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.
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