Michael Douglas steps back from acting, don’t want to drop dead on set

Hollywood legend and two-time Oscar winner Michael Douglas revealed he is taking an indefinite break from acting after more than six decades in the spotlight.

“I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realized I had to stop,” the 80-year-old actor told reporters at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he was being honored during a special screening marking the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, which he co-produced.

Douglas said the decision was driven by a desire to slow down and prioritize his well-being after years of non-stop work in film and television.

“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,” Douglas said, candidly addressing the mental and physical toll of his career. “I’m very happy with taking the time off.”

While he stopped short of officially calling it a retirement, the Wall Street and Basic Instinct star made clear that any return to the screen would require something extraordinary.

“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 I’m quite happy just to watch my wife work,” he added, referring to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, his partner of more than two decades.

Douglas and Zeta-Jones have long been regarded as one of Hollywood’s enduring power couples, both maintaining celebrated careers across different genres and generations of filmgoers.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival paid tribute to Douglas’s work as both an actor and producer. His legacy spans from hard-hitting dramas like The China Syndrome to more recent blockbuster roles in Marvel’s Ant-Man series.

His remarks echoed sentiments expressed by other industry veterans in recent years, as many in Hollywood reflect on work-life balance, health, and the pace of the entertainment industry post-pandemic.

His absence from upcoming productions signals a quieter chapter for one of cinema’s most recognizable faces — and possibly, the beginning of a well-earned retirement.