Michael Douglas Details the Moment He Disappointed Father Kirk Douglas
The Oscar-winner details the tough conversations he had with his late father, his past regrets, and more on “Andy Cohen Live.”
Michael Douglas admitted he made some mistakes when it came to his father, Kirk Douglas.
During his October 6 appearance on Radio Andy’s Andy Cohen Live to promote his new memoir, One Helluva Ride, Michael recalled telling Kirk he wouldn’t get the lead role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
“Let’s go back to the first conversation where I had to tell dad that he’s not playing the part,” Michael, 82, told Andy Cohen. “That was a killer conversation. Where I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘You’re not playing the part.’”
At the time, Michael was given producing credits for the film and ultimately agreed that the role—played by Jack Nicholson—should go to someone younger.
And while Kirk, who died at the age of 103 in 2020, made huge profit from the film, Michael saw how much he hurt his father with the decision.
“I shared my producing fees back then with Dad; we split it,” he told Andy. “And he made more money off of that than he had in any picture he’d ever done. But that doesn’t preclude the fact that R.P. McMurphy was one of the three best parts he could have possibly had.”
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 1976. Looking back on the moment, Michael admitted he still carries sadness from that time.
“The fact that I forgot his name that night broke my heart,” Michael said. “But on the other hand, I think subtly it was something about me wanting to get the credit. Because he had found the book originally and I had taken it over, wanting to produce the picture with Saul [Zaentz] and made the choice decisions we had with casting.”
Michael added, “I think I was too young to really free myself up to give that acknowledgement.”
According to Michael, Kirk never told him that he was upset with his decision about the film and acknowledged that his son had to forge his own path in Hollywood.
“I think he understood,” he told Andy. “Because for a long time I was under the shadow. He was such a dominant, incredibly powerful, just everything … He was a dynamic guy, but in hindsight, yes, I’m ashamed.”
When it comes to writing about people who he feels have wronged him in the past, Michael said, “I hold onto regrets, you know, and revenge. I have no problem talking in the book about two or three people that I’m not fond of.”
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