Actor Michael Douglas has officially confirmed a decades-long Hollywood rumor. He revealed that he and his co-star Kathleen Turner engaged in a secret romantic affair while filming the 1984 adventure-comedy Romancing the Stone. The revelation comes directly from an excerpt of Douglas’ upcoming memoir, One Helluva Ride, scheduled for release on October 6.
Douglas, 82, disclosed that the two actors intentionally denied the relationship for over 40 years to protect his then-wife, Diandra Luker, and their young son, Cameron. At the time of production in Mexico, Douglas and Luker were legally married though separated, with Douglas noting that both were involved in extramarital affairs.
A Secret Romance Behind the Scenes
In the memoir excerpt obtained by People, Douglas describes an immediate and powerful mutual attraction with his co-star. “Kathleen was smart, funny, and s*xy with a deep, sultry voice that became her signature,” Douglas wrote. “I instantly liked her, and we were immediately attracted to each other.”
The Oscar-winning actor explained that what began as professional respect quickly blossomed into a deep connection. “The truth is that during the production of Romancing the Stone, Kathleen and I fell hard for each other and began a relationship,” he wrote, adding that the affair remained strictly hidden from the rest of the crew, including director Bob Zemeckis and co-star Danny DeVito.
Douglas detailed how he would sneak into Turner’s hotel room after everyone else had gone to sleep. For decades, the official stance from both stars maintained that they were merely intense flirts with undeniable onscreen chemistry, but that nothing physical ever happened. Douglas admitted bluntly in the book: “That was a lie.”
Why They Kept It Hidden for 40 Years
The clandestine relationship came to an abrupt halt when Diandra Luker visited the set in Mexico alongside their five-year-old son, Cameron. According to Douglas, his then-wife grew suspicious and confronted Turner directly to clarify that Douglas and Luker were still legally married. Respecting the boundary and wanting to avoid interfering in a family dynamic, Turner and Douglas chose to end their romance.
Douglas returned to his marriage for the sake of his son, though he reflected in the book that attempting to salvage the relationship ultimately proved unsuccessful. Luker later filed for divorce in 1995. Douglas eventually married actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000, while he and Turner have maintained a lasting friendship over the years.
Kathleen Turner Responds
Following the public disclosure of the long-kept secret, Kathleen Turner, now 72, offered a lighthearted response to the revelation in a statement provided to media outlets.
“Good heavens what a fuss about something 40 years ago! I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book.”
The iconic duo went on to share the screen multiple times after their initial romance, reuniting for the 1985 sequel The Jewel of the Nile, the dark comedy The War of the Roses in 1989, and later on television in Netflix’s The Kominsky Method.
