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Michael Douglas has revealed he’s quietly stepped away from acting, and has no plans to return.
The 80-year-old star, who won acclaim for his roles in classics like Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, and Wall Street, has been one of Hollywood’s most enduring leading men. But speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival this week, Douglas admitted he made the decision to stop working back in 2022, and hasn’t looked back since.
“I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realised I had to stop,” he said. “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.”
The Oscar-winner added that while he’s technically not calling it “retirement,” he doesn’t see himself returning unless something truly special comes along. “I have no real intentions of going back,” he said. “I say I’m not retired because if something special came up, I’d go back, but otherwise, no.”
Douglas, who has been married to Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones since 2000, also admitted that part of his decision was about preserving his home life. “It was partially about maintaining a good marriage,” he confessed with a smile.
Known as one half of one of Hollywood’s golden couples, Douglas and Zeta-Jones have weathered two decades in the public eye together and are often seen side by side at premieres and awards shows.
His decision comes at a time when many of his contemporaries have also scaled back their careers, opting for family life and occasional projects rather than the relentless pace of decades past.
The two-time Academy Award winner leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, including Wall Street, for which he won Best Actor, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which he produced.
Michael Douglas starred in the 1984 adventure movie "Romancing the Stone," alongside Kathleen Turner – Credit: 20th Century Fox/Everett Collection
While fans will undoubtedly miss his commanding presence on screen, Douglas’ honesty and self-awareness about knowing when to step away have been widely praised by colleagues and admirers alike.
For now, Michael Douglas seems content with life out of the spotlight, proving that even in Hollywood, sometimes the biggest role is simply being present at home.
