Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas

Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and producer. He is the son of actor Kirk Douglas and actress Diana Dill. Douglas is best known for his roles as Gordon Gekko in the 1987 film Wall Street and Detective Nick Curran in the 1992 film Basic Instinct. He has also starred in films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), The China Syndrome (1979), Romancing the Stone (1984), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), Fatal Attraction (1987), Black Rain (1989), Falling Down (1993), The Game (1997), Traffic (2000), Ant-Man (2015), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Douglas has won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Cecil B. DeMille Award. He is also the recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Early life and career

Michael Douglas was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of actor Kirk Douglas and actress Diana Dill. He has two older brothers, Joel and Peter, and a younger sister, Amy. Douglas attended the Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts, and the Choate Rosemary Hall boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut. He then attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he majored in drama.

Douglas began his acting career in the 1960s, appearing in television shows such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and The Defenders. He made his film debut in the 1969 film Hail, Hero! Douglas had his breakthrough role in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to star in a number of successful films in the 1970s and 1980s, including The China Syndrome (1979), Romancing the Stone (1984), and The Jewel of the Nile (1985).

In 1987, Douglas starred in the film Wall Street, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also starred in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, which was a critical and commercial success. Douglas continued to star in a number of films in the 1990s and 2000s, including Falling Down (1993), The Game (1997), Traffic (2000), and Ant-Man (2015).

Personal life

Douglas has been married three times. His first marriage was to Diandra Luker from 1977 to 1995. They have one son together, Cameron. Douglas's second marriage was to Catherine Zeta-Jones from 2000 to 2013. They have two children together, Dylan and Carys. Douglas's third marriage is to Anne Douglas, the widow of his father, Kirk Douglas.

Douglas is a vocal supporter of the Democratic Party. He has donated money to Democratic candidates and has campaigned for them. Douglas is also a supporter of environmental causes. He is a board member of the Natural Resources Defense Council and has spoken out against climate change.

Awards and honors

• Academy Award for Best Actor (1987, for Wall Street)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (1975, for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (1975, for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (1984, for Romancing the Stone)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (1987, for Wall Street)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (2013, for Behind the Candelabra)
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (2013, for Behind the Candelabra)
• Cecil B. DeMille Award (2004)
• AFI Life Achievement Award (2009)