Michael Douglas (82) Finally Comes Clean About His ‘Romancing the Stone’ Romance With Kathleen Turner

For more than 40 years, fans have wondered whether the sparks between Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner were purely movie magic. The pair shared the screen in ‘Romancing the Stone’, its sequel ‘The Jewel of the Nile’ and ‘The War of the Roses’, and their chemistry became one of the most talked-about pairings of the era.

Now Douglas is opening up about his life like never before. His memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’ hits shelves on October 6, promising an unfiltered look at his fractured childhood, his complicated relationship with his father, Kirk Douglas, and a career told through 12 of his most iconic films, along with his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

The biggest bombshell so far comes from an excerpt published by People on October 2. In it, the 82-year-old actor admits that he and Turner fell hard for each other while making ‘Romancing the Stone’ in Mexico and began a secret relationship, ending decades of denials from both stars.

Douglas acknowledged that audiences have long assumed the two were together during filming. He wrote that they both denied it through ‘Romancing the Stone’, ‘The Jewel of the Nile’, ‘The War of the Roses’ and even while promoting ‘The Kominsky Method’ a few years ago, before bluntly admitting that the denial was a lie.

According to Douglas, he and his then-wife Diandra were separated at the time, and both were having extramarital affairs. He described Turner as smart, funny and magnetic, with a deep, sultry voice that became her signature, and said the two were immediately attracted to each other.

The actor stressed that it wasn’t a fleeting fling. He explained that the romance grew naturally from long, demanding days on set, the pressure they were under, and the deep respect they had for each other, with the two becoming friends first, then co-stars and finally lovers.

The relationship didn’t last beyond the shoot. Douglas wrote that Diandra grew suspicious during a visit to the set and spoke with Turner directly, making it clear that she and Douglas were still married.

That conversation gave Turner pause, as she didn’t want to interfere. After the visit, Douglas said he and Turner ended things, and he went back to Diandra, choosing to stay in the marriage for the sake of their son Cameron.

Douglas and Diandra stayed together for years afterward, with Diandra filing for divorce in 1995. Douglas went on to marry Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000, while Turner married property developer Jay Weiss in 1984 before the pair divorced in 2007.

Turner has hinted at this story before. A few years ago, she told The Guardian that she and Douglas might have been falling in love before Diandra made it clear he wasn’t available, though she refused to say how close they really came.

She also previously described the two of them as terrible flirts, a phrase Douglas references in his book. Notably, Douglas says he asked Turner for permission before including their story in the memoir, and she agreed.

The actress responded to the news with characteristic humor. In a statement to People on Friday, the 72-year-old seemed amused by all the attention over something that happened 40 years ago, adding that she loves Douglas and is looking forward to reading the book.

Whatever happened in Mexico, their bond clearly survived it. The pair reunited on screen in Netflix’s ‘The Kominsky Method’, with Turner playing the sharp-tongued ex-wife of Douglas’ character in 2019 and again in the show’s final season in 2021.

Their history also extends to casting lore, since Turner wasn’t the first choice for ‘Romancing the Stone’. Douglas has said Debra Winger was originally set for the role before Turner stepped in, a twist of fate that led to one of Hollywood’s most memorable on-screen partnerships.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!