Washington DC [US], July 7: Legendary actor Michael Douglas, known for iconic roles in films like Romancing the Stone, Fatal Attraction, and Falling Down, has revealed he has no plans to return to acting, according to the New York Post.
Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, the Oscar-winning star shared, “I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realised I had to stop. 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.”
While Douglas clarified he’s not formally retired — leaving the door open if “something special” comes along — he stressed he has “no real intentions of going back.” He added, “I’m enjoying my hiatus and enjoying my life.”
Douglas also reflected on his battle with stage 4 throat cancer, explaining how his treatment influenced his decision to step away. “Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday, but there aren’t many choices, are there?” he said. Surgery, he noted, would have risked his ability to speak, which would have been devastating to his career as an actor.
The actor’s most recent on-screen appearance was as Benjamin Franklin in the 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries Franklin. He confirmed he has no interest in returning for another Marvel project after playing Hank Pym in the Ant-Man trilogy and Avengers: Endgame. “I don’t think so,” he said of another Marvel role. “I had the experience… I’d never done a green screen picture before.”
Douglas’ wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, has also signaled a step back from mainstream Hollywood to focus on independent films, according to the New York Post.