Kathleen Turner has responded to Michael Douglas’ revelation that the two actors had a private relationship while filming Romancing the Stone in the 1980s.
Turner, 72, reacted to the decades-old revelation with a brief comment, appearing amused that their long-private relationship had once again become a topic of public discussion.
“Good heavens,” Turner told PEOPLE in a statement, before confirming Douglas’ account. “What a fuss about something 40 years ago!”
She added:
“I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book.”
Michael Douglas Reveals Details in Upcoming Memoir
Douglas has written about the relationship in his forthcoming memoir, One Helluva Ride, which is scheduled for release on October 6.
According to an excerpt from the book, Douglas says he and Turner developed strong feelings for one another while working on the 1984 adventure comedy Romancing the Stone.
“The truth is that during the production of Romancing the Stone, Kathleen and I fell hard for each other and began a relationship,” Douglas writes.
He described the relationship as something that developed naturally while the two were working closely together under demanding circumstances.
Douglas also wrote that their mutual respect, affection and attraction contributed to the relationship.
Why Douglas and Turner Kept It Private
Douglas explained that he and Turner chose to keep the relationship out of the public eye.
At the time, Douglas was married to Diandra Douglas, and they had a young son, Cameron. According to Douglas’ account, keeping the relationship private was partly intended to protect his family.
The relationship eventually came to an end after Turner met Diandra.
Douglas and Diandra later reconciled, although their marriage ultimately ended. Their divorce was finalized in 2000, the same year Douglas married actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Douglas and Zeta-Jones later welcomed two children, Dylan and Carys.
Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas Remained Friends
Despite their private relationship ending decades ago, Turner and Douglas continued to share a professional and personal connection.
The pair reunited for The Jewel of the Nile in 1985, the sequel to Romancing the Stone. They later worked together again in The War of the Roses in 1989.
More than three decades later, they shared the screen once again in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method in 2021.
Turner’s latest comments suggest there is little bitterness surrounding the long-ago relationship. Instead, she appears to regard the revelation as a story from another era of both their lives.
With Douglas’ memoir arriving October 6, more details about the actor’s career and personal life are expected to emerge, but Turner has already made her position on the decades-old romance clear: she is more amused than concerned by the renewed attention.
