Michael Douglas takes a bow: why this Hollywood icon is stepping back from the spotlight

At the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas opened up about his thoughts on retirement and the meaning of creativity after an illustrious career spanning nearly six decades.

The 80-year-old actor is well known for his roles in iconic films such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest", "Wall Street" and "Basic Instinct".

Douglas, who has graced the silver screen for nearly 60 years, conceded that it was time to slow down.

“I’ve had a very busy career. Now, I have not worked since 2022, purposely because I realised I had to stop. I’d 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 shared at the 50th anniversary screening of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest", which he won an Oscar for producing.

Douglas’s last screen appearance was as President Benjamin Franklin in the forthcoming Apple TV+ series "Franklin", which was filmed in 2022.

“I’m very happy with taking the time off. I have no real intentions,” he said about taking on another performance.

However, he left the door open, stating he would “go back” if something particularly special came across his path.

The actor, whose film lineage traces back to his father, the legendary Kirk Douglas, said he prefers to now watch his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, thrive in her career.

"I just like to watch my wife work," referring to her upcoming role as Morticia Addams in the second season of Netflix’s "Wednesday".

Douglas’s conversation also touched upon pertinent issues beyond cinema, highlighting his concerns regarding the state of American democracy.

"I hope that what we’re struggling with right now is a reminder of all the hard work the Czechs did in gaining their freedom and independence."

He also expressed that democracy is fragile and must be continuously protected. 

As a significant figure in Hollywood, Douglas has also been an influential producer behind notable projects, including "Starman", "Flatliners" and "Face/Off".

With his company, Further Films, founded in 1997, he hopes to continue his contributions to the industry by developing more independent films. 

In 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer, undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

"Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday, but there aren’t many choices, are there?” he said.

“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.”