Douglas on his memoir Father, affairs and films

Oct 5

ABC airs Diane Sawyer's memoir interview with Michael Douglas, introduced as an 82-year-old actor whose book is due the next day. Douglas discusses playing flawed men and trying to improve, his difficult childhood with Kirk Douglas, and the painful decision to give his father's desired One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest role to Jack Nicholson. Sawyer says he sought the women's permission before writing about relationships; he acknowledges the long-secret affair with Kathleen Turner during Romancing the Stone. The report shows archival film and Glenn Close's Fatal Attraction audition while Douglas recalls initial doubts about her casting and her insistence on auditioning. Muir closes by previewing a further GMA installment about personal struggles and finding love; those later revelations are not aired here.

ABC broadcasts Diane Sawyer's interview package with Michael Douglas ahead of his memoir One Helluva Ride. He reflects on flawed characters, his relationship with father Kirk Douglas, producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a long-secret relationship with Kathleen Turner and Glenn Close's Fatal Attraction audition. The package includes archival film speech and previews more interview material on GMA the following morning. The interview's recording date is unknown.