Michael Douglas has revealed that he currently has no plans to return to acting, prompting speculation about whether the veteran star is unofficially retiring. The 80-year-old Hollywood icon shared his thoughts during an appearance at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on Sunday, 6 July 2025.
Douglas Opens Up About Stepping Back From Acting
While attending the prestigious film event to present a restored print of Milos Forman's Oscar-winning classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Douglas also reflected on his long career in the entertainment industry.
'I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realised I had to stop,' Douglas told reporters. 'I have no real intentions of acting again, unless something very special comes up.'
He did not confirm a formal retirement but noted that he wanted to take a break after decades of continuous work. 'I'd been working pretty hard for almost 60 years and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set,' he said.
Hollywood Success And Recent Roles
Douglas, one of the most bankable actors of the 1980s and 1990s, is best known for his roles in Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, Romancing the Stone, and Basic Instinct. His career has spanned over six decades and includes both box office hits and critically acclaimed performances.
In recent years, he gained popularity with younger audiences by playing Hank Pym in Marvel Studios' Ant-Man trilogy, as well as appearing in Avengers: Endgame. His most recent role was portraying President Benjamin Franklin in Apple TV+'s historical drama Franklin.
Political Concerns Among His Reasons
Douglas also said that current global and political issues have influenced his decision to slow down. In particular, he expressed concern about the state of democracy in the United States.
'I look at it generally as the fact of how precious democracy is, of how vulnerable it is and how it always has to be protected,' he said. Referencing the rise of former US President Donald Trump, Douglas warned: 'The United States is flirting with autocracy.'
The actor said he admired the efforts made by the Czech people to gain their independence and warned that democracy should not be taken for granted. 'I hope that what we're struggling with right now is a reminder of all the hard work the Czechs did in gaining their freedom and independence.'
He added: 'Ever since the Trump administration, politics has become about profit. Democracy is now a profit centre. I myself am worried, I am nervous, and I think it's all of our responsibility to look out for ourselves.'
