Michael Douglas Reveals He Threatened Julia Roberts’ Golden Globe in a Drunken Rage

Celebrity memoirs often hinge on the author’s willingness to be open and honest. Michael Douglas’s new book, ‘One Helluva Ride,’ released on October 6, has already sparked a series of revelations about his life and career. The 82-year-old actor explains that he finally decided to share his story on his own terms after years of inquiries.

Among the most revealing sections of the book are his candid reflections on his struggles with alcohol and cocaine during the early 1990s. Douglas describes this time as marked by heavy substance use and several regrettable incidents, including one particularly embarrassing encounter with a Hollywood A-lister.

That A-lister is none other than Julia Roberts. Douglas recounts a drunken confrontation at a 1990 Golden Globes party where he threatened to take her Golden Globe and stick it somewhere inappropriate, an incident that ultimately ended their friendship.

At the time, Douglas was producing ‘Flatliners,’ the 1990 thriller directed by Joel Schumacher that starred Roberts alongside Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and Oliver Platt. He had brought his son Cameron, who was about 13, to the party. Douglas claims he saw Roberts at the bar with her arm around Cameron, which shocked him.

While Douglas admits he was quite intoxicated, he confronted Roberts, demanding she remove her hands from his son and telling her to take her Golden Globe and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. This account is solely from Douglas’s perspective, as the memoir does not include Roberts’s side of the story.

The repercussions were swift. The following morning, Douglas’s producing partner Rick Bieber called him to discuss the incident, indicating that he had crossed a line with one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses.

To make amends, Douglas sent Roberts roses and later apologized in person to both her and Sutherland at the ‘Flatliners’ production office. Although they completed the film together, their friendship did not mend, particularly from Roberts’s perspective. Douglas mentions that he maintained his friendship with Sutherland, but things were different with Roberts.

The story about Roberts is just one of many revelations in the 496-page memoir. Douglas also confirms an affair with Kathleen Turner during the filming of ‘Romancing the Stone’ in Mexico. He has pushed back against the notion that the memoir primarily focuses on sexual encounters, including a tense discussion with The Sunday Times.

The book is organized around 12 of his films and also delves into family issues, including his son Cameron’s struggles. Douglas describes his career as one filled with flawed American characters, and the memoir illustrates how closely these roles align with his own life experiences.

While the memoir does not suggest that Douglas and Roberts have reconciled, both actors continue to be significant figures in Hollywood. Roberts received a standing ovation at the 2026 Golden Globes while presenting the award for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, highlighting her enduring goodwill in the industry and the time that has elapsed since their fallout.

Douglas appears to view this confession as part of a larger reckoning, framing the 1990 incident as a regrettable moment from a time influenced by addiction. Readers will have to consider the weight of a story told from a single perspective, but it is unlikely to be the last anecdote from his memoir that captures attention.

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