“It did cross my mind”: the 1974 movie masterpiece Michael Douglas almost forced himself into
Michael Douglas made one of his best films by not acting in it.
It’s the true sign of success for any so-called “nepo baby” if they have been so successful in their careers that younger people wouldn’t associate them with a famous last name. While his father was one of the most legendary and important movie stars of all-time, Michael Douglas has had a career that nearly reached the same heights, especially since he’s been relevant in the industry for almost a half-century.
Douglas’s career in front of the camera truly took off in the ‘80s, as he proved himself willing to take on challenging roles that many of his contemporaries would be too afraid to do. 1987 was a groundbreaking year for Douglas because he starred in Wall Street, which won him the Academy Award for ‘Best Actor’, and appeared in Fatal Attraction, a massive hit that basically invested in the modern erotic thriller genre.
Although the Oscar for Wall Street solidified Douglas as one of the best actors of his generation, it was not his first Academy Award win. Douglas had previously won the Oscar for ‘Best Picture’ because he was a producer on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which he had convinced his dad that he could help bring to the big screen. Although Jack Nicholson tends to be credited for the film’s success because it won him his first of three Oscars, Douglas was essential in putting together the cast.
Douglas was still harbouring his own ambitions to follow in his father’s footsteps to become an actor and had considered taking a part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for himself. However, Douglas said that he set aside these aspirations after he found the perfect actor for the role that he had originally imagined for himself.
“It did cross my mind that maybe I could play Billy Bibbit,” Douglas said. “Then Brad Dourif came in for an audition, and I just said, ‘Well, that’s our Billy.'”
Dourif’s performance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of its most surprising, as he was not well-known at the time and had little acting experience. However, Billy is perhaps the most heartbreaking character in the film because he takes his own life after experiencing happiness for the first time. It also kicked off an incredible career for Dourif, who has been one of the most consistent character actors out there for several generations.
Although Douglas might have been initially a bit disappointed that he did not get the opportunity to act alongside Nicholson, he and Dourif never ended up being rivals. Dourif became best known for taking on oddball parts, such as that of a corrupt sheriff in Mississippi Burning, a serial killer in The Exorcist III, and the character “Doc” on the classic HBO series Deadwood. Douglas would get his big break years later when he appeared for a supporting role in The China Syndrome alongside Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon.
Although he has hinted at retirement, Douglas will hopefully decide to give at least one more performance. Given that he started his career by producing an all-time great classic, it would be pretty disappointing if the last thing that Douglas was involved with was something as bad as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
