In his new memoir, "One Helluva Ride," Michael Douglas details a series of personal and professional crises, including extramarital affairs, a severe substance abuse problem, and the stage IV cancer diagnosis that forced him to confront his own mortality. The actor-producer offers a candid account of the volatile dynamics within his family and the industry secrets that shaped his career.
Douglas recounts the casting process for "Romancing the Stone," noting that he and the filmmakers struggled to secure Debra Winger for the lead role. Despite an extensive dinner with the director and producer, Winger remained undecided. The impasse ended abruptly when Winger bit Douglas on the arm during a walk after the meal. He describes the incident as a decisive moment that removed her from consideration, leading to Kathleen Turner being cast in the role. Douglas later apologized to Winger after she declined to join the project.
The memoir also addresses a tense encounter with Julia Roberts at a Golden Globes party. Douglas claims Roberts placed her arm around his son Cameron, who was about 13 at the time, and nuzzled him. Admitting he was drunk, Douglas states he told Roberts to remove her hands from his son. He later sent roses and apologized in person to Roberts and her then-boyfriend, Kiefer Sutherland. In a separate admission, Douglas confirms he had an affair with Kathleen Turner while on set for "Romancing the Stone" and another with screenwriter Diane Thomas. He notes that both he and his first wife, Diandra Luker, were involved in extramarital relationships as their marriage deteriorated.
Douglas describes the culmination of his substance abuse issues at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. After Diandra returned to their room and found him with another woman, she issued an ultimatum: "Rehab or divorce." He entered the Sierra Tucson rehabilitation clinic in Arizona in 1992 for treatment of alcohol and substance abuse. Douglas claims a tabloid later misrepresented his treatment as that of a sex addict, a narrative he says damaged his reputation for decades. He also recalls an encounter with O.J. Simpson at a "Saturday Night Live" after-party where Simpson allegedly offered them cocaine.
The book covers his health struggles, specifically a stage IV squamous cell carcinoma found at the back of his tongue. Douglas states that three doctors missed the cancer for nine months, initially treating it as an infection. The tumor was the size of a walnut, and he feared surgery would end his acting career. His doctors referred to it publicly as throat cancer to avoid sensationalizing potential disfigurement.
Douglas also writes about his son Cameron’s addiction to cocaine and heroin, which led to imprisonment. He describes a failed attempt to kidnap Cameron to force him into rehab, an action he says broke their relationship further. Cameron served seven years in prison for a federal drug case, with an additional four and a half years added after a heroin relapse behind bars. The experience led Douglas to reflect on the destructive cycles within the family.