Michael Douglas Finally Confirms Kathleen Turner Affair
Some Hollywood rumors gain traction before quickly disappearing. Others have staying power that lasts decades without confirmation. A rare few are confirmed years down the line. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner’s rumored affair is one of those rare rumors that can finally be put to bed. Douglas has admitted the truth about how his on-screen chemistry with Turner turned into an off-screen romance that threatened his first marriage.
Michael Douglas confirms his affair with Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas starred together in the 1984 action-adventure movie Romancing the Stone. It didn’t take long for audiences to notice just how electric their chemistry was. Rumors of an affair took over, with quiet whispers and thinly veiled headlines. Douglas was married to, though separated from, Diandra Luker at the time, adding another layer of scandal to the reported romance.
Douglas and Turner both denied the allegations over the years, insisting that while they flirted, nothing ever happened between them. Now, though, Douglas is walking back that claim. In his new memoir, One Helluva Ride, Douglas revealed that he and Turner did have an affair on the set of Romancing the Stone.
In an excerpt published by People, Douglas revealed that, like most men at the time, he was smitten with Turner, describing her as smart, funny, and sexy. He said they kept things as quiet as possible, sharing meals together and then sneaking into her hotel room under the cover of darkness to keep as many people as possible in the dark.
Kathleen Turner ended the romance ater Diandra Luker stepped in
At the time of the affair, Michael Douglas was separated from Luker. The pair were still legally married and, it seems, trying to work things out, despite Douglas’s feelings for Turner. The affair came to an end when Luker visited the set and had a revealing conversation with Turner.
According to Douglas, Luker, who had grown suspicious of the starlet, reminded Turner that she and Douglas were still legally married, which made Turner hesitate. Douglas revealed that Turner did not want to interfere with a marriage, so they put an end to the relationship. Douglas then went back to Luker, though the couple ultimately divorced.
They continued to work together
The breakup didn’t stop the pair from working together. They reunited for 1985’s The Jewel of the Nile and again for 1989’s The War of the Roses. Decades later, Kathleen Turner joined Michael Douglas on his Netflix series The Kominsky Method. The two have remained friends, and Douglas reportedly asked Turner for her permission before including the story in his book.
It appears their relationship has been purely platonic since. Douglas and Luker separated for good in 1995 and finalized their divorce in 2000. Douglas married Catherine Zeta-Jones that same year. Turner spent more than 20 years married to Jay Weiss before they parted amicably in 2007.
