Michael Douglas Responds to British Press Over Sex Questions in Memoir Interview

In Hollywood, memoir season typically brings polished stories and strategically timed excerpts, but Michael Douglas’s book tour has sparked something more provocative. His memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’ is set to release on Tuesday, October 6, from Grand Central Publishing, and is marketed as the unfiltered account of his life.

The book delves into his tumultuous childhood, his complex relationship with his father, Kirk Douglas, and his journey from being seen as just a famous actor’s son to winning an Oscar for producing ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.’ It also discusses his 25-year marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones and includes the headline-making revelation of his affair with ‘Romancing the Stone’ co-star Kathleen Turner.

However, it was a profile ahead of the release that became the main topic of discussion. In a tense interview with The Sunday Times, Douglas asserted that his memoir does not focus heavily on sex and questioned why the British press seems so preoccupied with the topic.

During the interview with chief interviewer Decca Aitkenhead, she inquired whether the book emphasizes his romantic history. Douglas responded that he didn’t believe it did, mentioning that he only references a few women in the memoir.

The conversation became increasingly strained. When Aitkenhead asked if he had ever pondered why he had relationships with so many women, Douglas countered, stating he did not view it that way and described himself as a healthy product of the 1960s. Aitkenhead noted that his eyes narrowed and his tone became accusatory.

He then flipped the question, asking why British journalists, among all the countries he interacts with, seem so fixated on sex.

The discussion also revisited a long-standing rumor that Douglas went to rehab for sex addiction. He has consistently denied this claim, firmly stating in the memoir that he was never a sex addict.

In the interview, he suggested that the label was concocted by a clever editor in London and has lingered ever since. He emphasized that nobody had heard of this notion prior to that moment.

Aitkenhead reminded Douglas that he wrote about having to end relationships with five women before he and Zeta-Jones could be exclusive. He clarified that this was not entirely accurate.

According to Douglas, Zeta-Jones simply expressed that if they were to continue their relationship, she wanted it to be monogamous, prompting him to call several people he had been seeing to end those relationships. Aitkenhead noted that his expression suggested he believed he had just corrected her.

The couple first met at a film festival in 1998 and married in 2000. Douglas also dismissed the notion that he had to win her back after their brief separation in 2013. He described their marriage as hard work but in a good place, adding that Zeta-Jones has not yet read the memoir.

Despite the headlines, the book encompasses much more than just romance. In an interview with NPR, Douglas explained that the memoir recounts his life through 12 of his films and addresses his son Cameron’s struggles and the consequences of his choices.

The publisher’s description cites him saying he spent much of his career portraying flawed American men, and that the memoir illustrates it was not a significant stretch. Whether readers perceive that honesty in the final pages is something they can now determine for themselves.

For now, the interview has provided ‘One Helluva Ride’ with a publicity boost that no marketing strategy could have orchestrated. Do you think Michael Douglas has a valid point regarding the British press, or was he overly defensive about his memoir? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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