The Academy Award-winning role of Michael Douglas was almost given to someone else.
During a recent panel discussion at the TCM Classic Film Festival on Sunday, February 15, the 81-year-old actor reflected on his career and shared a story about making the 1987 film Wall Street.
“I have to say, we talked about this movie right before we saw it, and we prepared a little bit, because I hadn’t sat through this movie in about 40 years, and I was always so moved and knocked out,” he said. “But I saw an article recently that said Oliver first went to Warren Beatty, and Warren Beatty passed it on, then went to Richard Gere, and then Richard Gere passed it on.”
He said he didn’t know he wasn’t director Oliver Stone’s first choice because, as an actor, “you always like to think you’re the one chosen.”
“But that being said, those poor kids,” he added. “I mean, how do you think they feel? You know, they said no because of the photo.”
Douglas won an Oscar for Best Actor for his starring role as Gordon Gekko, a ruthless Wall Street investor who works with Bud Fox, a young stockbroker played by Charlie Sheen.
The actor returned to the role in the 2010 sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. The sequel follows Gekko, who has just been released from prison and sets out to defeat his Wall Street rivals and rebuild his lost empire.
“I read the script and it was a really serious, earnest film. So I was really happy and excited. It was a great role. There aren’t many good roles in life,” Douglas said. “My background is as a producer, so I’ve always tried to choose movies that I think are good. I’m going to play as many roles as I can in good movies. I’m not worried about my roles, but this was a great role.”
The actor recently shared on Instagram that he will be publishing a memoir that will focus on his 50-year career in Hollywood, his relationship with actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, his battle with stage 4 cancer, and other personal struggles.
In an Instagram caption, Douglas said that the process of writing the book brought back “so many memories,” and joked, “There are so many things I want to convey before I forget.”
Douglas and Zeta-Jones have been married for 25 years and will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in November 2025.
“25 years ago today I walked down the aisle,” Zeta-Jones captioned an anniversary slideshow she shared on Instagram. “The intoxicating scent of flowers, the candlelight, the harmonious sound of a Welsh choir, and you waiting for me at the end of a long walk, looking at me in the way only you can. I love you today as much as I did then. Thank you sweetheart ♥️”
The second photo in the slideshow showed the actress looking at Douglas while sitting next to her at the event. Above the photo was written the words, “The way I looked at you when I first met you…”
The two first met in 1998 at the Deauville Film Festival in France. They became engaged a year later in December 1999 and married in November 2000.
During their relationship, the couple had two children together, son Dylan (25) and daughter Carys (22).
