Michael Douglas made a deliberate choice to step back from acting and currently has no plans to return, citing the reasons behind his break during a press conference at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on Saturday. Discussing his Michael Douglas acting hiatus reasons, the veteran actor emphasized that after nearly six decades of work, he felt it was necessary to take a pause for his wellbeing.
Douglas stated,
“I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realized I had to stop,”
and added,
“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.”
He made it clear that he has no immediate plans to resume acting but remains open to special projects.
“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.”
Reflection on Illness and Its Impact on Career
Douglas reflected on the impact of his 2010 diagnosis with stage 4 oropharyngeal cancer, which shaped his outlook on work and life. Acknowledging the severity of his condition, he explained the treatment he underwent and the challenges he faced.
“Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday, but there’s not many choices, are there?”
He revealed that opting for chemotherapy and radiation instead of surgery allowed him to preserve his ability to speak and continue acting.
“I went with the program, involving chemo and radiation, and was fortunate…. I was fortunate with my medical attention and was lucky to continue working. We were able to handle it with radiation and chemotherapy, because otherwise, the surgery would have caused me not being able to speak, to talk, as well as removing part of your jaw, so it would have been limiting as an actor.”
Recent Roles and Upcoming Projects
Now approaching 81 years of age, Michael Douglas last appeared on screen in the 2023 Marvel movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. More recently, he portrayed American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in the Apple TV+ miniseries Franklin. Despite his hiatus, fans can look forward to at least one more film from Douglas in the near future.
He will star with his son, Cameron Douglas, in the upcoming independent drama Looking Through Water. The movie, filmed in 2022 before his break, tells the story of a father who invites his estranged son to a fishing competition as a way to reconnect, though it has yet to announce a release date.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Personal Priorities
While Michael Douglas noted he is working on one independent project and hopes to refine its script, his focus remains largely on supporting his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their marriage. Highlighting their partnership, he said,
“in the spirit of maintaining a good marriage, I am happy to play the ‘wife’ to my long-time wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones.”
He also shared,
“I am happy for Catherine to go to work — and she is very busy.”
Douglas is not alone among the Ant-Man cast in stepping back from acting. His onscreen daughter, Evangeline Lilly, announced an indefinite hiatus after the release of Quantumania, stating in 2024 that she
“might return to Hollywood one day”
but is currently choosing to step away.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How did Michael Douglas get the HPV virus?
A. When asked if he regretted his smoking and drinking habits, often linked to the disease, Douglas said he did not. He explained that this type of cancer is caused by HPV, which can result from specific intimate activities.
