Kathleen Turner Responds to Michael Douglas’ Confession About Their Decades-Old Affair

In his forthcoming memoir, One Helluva Ride, Douglas recounts a secret affair with Turner during the 1984 production in Mexico. The actors had previously maintained that their connection was limited to their professional relationship, but Douglas now offers a different account of what happened behind the scenes.

Turner has responded to the revelation without revisiting the details of their relationship.

“Good heavens what a fuss about something 40 years ago!” Turner said. “I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book.”

Douglas was both the star and a producer on Romancing the Stone, while Turner played Joan Wilder, a romance novelist who travels to Colombia after her sister is kidnapped. Douglas played Jack Colton, the adventurer who helps her. Douglas had initially wanted Debra Winger for the female lead. After that casting did not work out, he met Turner over lunch to discuss the role. She eventually joined the film, and Douglas says they were immediately attracted to each other.

At the time, Douglas was separated from his wife, Diandra Luker, although they were still married. They had a young son, Cameron. Douglas describes the marriage as being under strain and says both he and Diandra had been involved in relationships outside their marriage.

As filming continued in Mexico, Douglas and Turner grew closer. Their professional relationship developed into a private romance that they kept from the rest of the production. Douglas says that even director Robert Zemeckis and co-star Danny DeVito were unaware of the relationship. Douglas describes spending private time with Turner during the production, including visiting her hotel room after the rest of the group had gone to sleep.

Despite their relationship, the actors continued to present their chemistry as part of their professional connection. When questions arose about whether there was anything more between them, they denied being romantically involved. That account remained unchanged for years.

The two continued to keep the relationship private while working together again, first on The Jewel of the Nile in 1985 and later on The War of the Roses in 1989. Their professional relationship eventually extended to The Kominsky Method, where they reunited on screen in 2021, decades after their first two films together.

The affair came to an end after Diandra travelled to Mexico with Cameron. Douglas recounts that Diandra became aware of his closeness with Turner. She spoke privately with Turner and made clear that Douglas was still her husband. Turner subsequently stepped away from the relationship.

Douglas says he returned to Diandra partly because of their son and because his own experience of his parents’ divorce had influenced how he viewed his family. He later acknowledged that their reconciliation did not restore their marriage to what it had been before their separation. Douglas and Diandra eventually divorced. He married Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000.

The end of their affair did not end Douglas and Turner’s professional relationship. Turner was initially reluctant to return for a sequel to Romancing the Stone, leading 20th Century Fox to file a $25 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against her. The dispute was eventually resolved, and she returned for The Jewel of the Nile.

Douglas also recalls Turner helping him rework parts of the sequel’s script. Their collaboration allowed them to continue working together after their relationship had ended. Their friendship also continued over the years. Douglas says he asked Turner for permission before including their past relationship in his memoir.

For Douglas, One Helluva Ride offers a detailed account of a chapter of his life that had remained private for decades. For Turner, the revelation concerns a relationship that ended long ago but was followed by years of friendship and professional collaboration.

One Helluva Ride is scheduled for release on October 6.