Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas has revealed he’s stepped away from acting, saying he has “no real intentions” of returning to the screen.
Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival on July 5, 2025, Douglas shared the news while presenting a restored version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the 1975 classic he produced.
Douglas, 80, clarified that while he’s not officially retired, he has purposefully taken a break from acting since 2022. “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 said. “I say I’m not retired because if something special came up, I’d go back, but otherwise, no.”
His last on-screen appearances were in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the 2024 Apple TV+ series Franklin, both filmed in 2021. While he hinted at one small independent film project in development, Douglas emphasized that he is content focusing on his personal life, supporting his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, in her busy career.
The actor also spoke candidly about his past battle with stage 4 tongue cancer. Douglas credited his decision to undergo chemotherapy and radiation, rather than surgery, with preserving his ability to speak — a critical asset for his profession.
With a career spanning six decades, Michael Douglas remains a legendary figure in Hollywood. His decision to step back from acting marks the end of an era, though he leaves the door slightly open for the right role.
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