By Basant El-Faramawy
Veteran actor Michael Douglas has warned Hollywood performers against pursuing romantic relationships with their co-stars, revealing in his new memoir that he conducted a secret affair with Kathleen Turner during the 1984 filming of "Romancing the Stone."
Affair disclosed after four decades
In his book "One Helluva Ride," the 82-year-old two-time Oscar winner writes that he and Turner fell in love while shooting the adventure-comedy in Mexico, during a period of separation from his then-wife, Diandra Luker. The pair concealed the relationship for 40 years, denying it through subsequent collaborations including "The Jewel of the Nile," "The War of the Roses," and recent press for "The Kominsky Method."
Advice to younger actors
Speaking at London's Royal Festival Hall on October 28 to promote the memoir, Douglas told the audience that many actors make the "mistake" of becoming involved with their leading ladies early in their careers. "What they forget is that you can break up. They're having to perform these love scenes, and they hate each other," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
Cover-up to protect family
Douglas explained the decades-long denial was meant to protect his wife and son, Cameron. He recounted that the affair ended when Luker visited the set in Mexico with their son and grew suspicious, informing Turner that they remained married. Douglas returned to his wife but noted the marriage was never the same after that first split.
Turner's response
Turner, 72, reacted to the revelation with humor. "Good heavens, what a fuss about something 40 years ago! I love Michael, and I look forward to enjoying the book," she told People magazine.
