Michael Douglas has admitted that he found it hard to emerge from the shadow of his father’s – Kirk Douglas – illustrious movie career and make a name for himself in the entertainment industry.
The 79-year-old’s father starred in some of the biggest movies such as Spartacus (1960), Ulysses (1954), Paths of Glory (1957) and Posse (1975), becoming one of the most-known actors of his time.
In 1966, Douglas starred in his first acting role as the uncredited jeep driver in Cast a Giant Shadow but has since celebrated 50 years of film, television and producing, with roles in Ant-Man (2015), Romancing the Stone (1984), A Perfect Murder (1998) and Avengers: End Game (2019).
He recently opened up about how he broke into the entertainment industry and admitted he found it hard being in his father’s shadow, whilst slamming the recent controversy surrounding “nepo babies” in Hollywood.
Discussing his career after his father, he told Radio Times: “I remember when I first started auditioning and they’d say, ‘That’s just like your dad, that’s amazing, just the same expression as your father’.
“But the best part of being second-generation is you understand how the business operates. When I was growing up, I’d see Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Gregory Peck in the house and you’d see their foibles and insecurities, just like real people.”
Michael admitted that he found it hard to break into the entertainment industry following his fathers footsteps
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Discussing “nepo babies” – short for nepotism baby, a term referring to celebrities who’ve supposedly used their parents’ stardom to springboard into showbiz themselves – he admitted that he found himself more frequently becoming defensive around the term being used.
He explained that there was an article in New York Magazine that he thought was a “snarky attack” but thought that no matter whether you were a plumber or electrician, he couldn’t think of a business where parents didn’t champion their children.
“All three of my kids are actors and I wish them the best because it’s not easy.”
Douglas married actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000, with the pair having two children together, Carys Zeta Douglas, 21, and Dylan Michael Douglas, 23.
Kirk made his name in movies such as Spartacus (1960), Ulysses (1954)
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He also shares his second son Cameron Douglas, 45, with his first wife Diandra Luker, whom he married in 1997 before divorcing in 2000, the same year he married Zeta-Jones.
His oldest has starred in films such as It Runs in the Family (2003), Dead Layer (2019) and The Crowded Room (2023).
The two youngest of his brood are yet to make a dent in the entertainment industry, but both already have some experience under their belt along with the support of their famous parents.
Douglas recently opened up about the relationship he had with his father during his appearance on the Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? with host Chris Wallace.
Kirk and Michael Douglas are both well-known actors
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Discussing their bond, the 79-year-old said: “It was different stages. It was not particularly good in the beginning, probably it was just because of the amount of work that he was doing.
“He just – career definitely went first before family,” said Michael before noting that their relationship improved as he got older.
“But then in the sort of third act of his career, I think the second act, he was a little stunned that I was having a certain degree of success. It is a reminder for me now as I’m into my third act that we can change.
“And we were very close. So I’m happy to say that by the time he was ending his life and before that, the last 15, 20 years, were a joy to be with him.”
