Romancing the Stone was an HBO staple in the 80s and I watched it at least a dozen times. (That was just one of the typically inappropriate shows in my Gen X media diet.) Leads Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas were 30 and 40 when the film came out in 1984. They had a smoldering chemistry that seemed like more than acting, but I was an imaginative child. That’s why it’s vindicating to hear that they were hitting it back then! Douglas, now 82, has a new memoir out called One Helluva Ride. One of the first stories that leaked was about his affair with Turner during Romancing the Stone. Either Douglas or his PR people realize that this is exactly the vintage gossip we want to know. Turner thinks it’s old news though, as she told People in a brief statement.
Kathleen Turner is responding to news revealed by Michael Douglas of their long-ago love affair, which he writes about in his upcoming memoir One Helluva Ride.
“Good heavens what a fuss about something 40 years ago!” Turner, 72, tells PEOPLE in a statement. “I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book.”
In Douglas’s autobiography, the two-time Oscar winner, 82, recalls how he and Turner fell for each other while making the 1984 blockbuster Romancing the Stone in Mexico. At the time, he was separated from his then-wife Diandra Douglas, with whom he shares son Cameron.
Turner is so classy. Of course she added that she loves him and wants to read the book. People Magazine put Michael Douglas on their cover this week. They have more details from his book about what it was like growing up as an OG nepo baby with Kirk Douglas as his dad. Plus he reveals an affair in the early 90s with Jeanne Tripplehorn, who played his wife in Basic Instinct! He really was sleeping with all of his costars during his first marriage. Catherine Zeta-Jones is probably happy he’s semi-retired now. On a nicer note, one of Douglas’s co-writers tells People that Douglas got permission from the women he mentioned. He told People he “didn’t name anybody for the sake of notches on your holster or something like that. These are people that I’ve had relationships with in my life.” I can hear Kathleen Turner’s raspy laugh now.
I’m so glad that Turner and Douglas are still here and that we heard this news. I know it all happened 40 years ago, but it’s one of those moments that makes my chosen career feel fated. My tween fantasies were real.
In a new #PeopleInterview, #MichaelDouglas gets real about writing about his past relationships in his new memoir, #OneHelluvaRide, including the one where there were "acts of indiscretion" on both their parts. Watch the full interview at the link in our comments. #PeopleApp https://t.co/FXWxGzHb1m
— People (@people) October 6, 2026
photos credit Getty Images, Avalon.red and via YouTube
Kathleen Turner is classy as hell. Michael Douglas is a blabbermouth pig. Did he get her consent to reveal that? I doubt it.
No, he did. She just wrote that he asked permission from all of them.
Turner basically acknowledged it years ago.
He’s really his father’s son. I can’t say anyone who’s seen Romancing the Stone would be surprised with their chemistry. Even at the time, there were multiple stories about his marriage.
They had the best onscreen chemistry maybe of all time.
I loved them in Romancing the Stone but War of the Roses was my favorite. I literally LOL’d when I was watching the Komisnky Method on Netflix and Kathleen turned up as his ex-wife. It was perfect and pretty funny. I’m guessing they’ve remained friends, or at least friendly, through the years.
I adored the 3 movies they made (Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile and War of the Roses), they had chemistry that was off the charts so am not surprised by this.
I always had the hots for Michael – he was sex AF as a young man, better looking than his father. He still kinda has it 🙂
I also adore Kathleen – she’s such a joy to watch!
I just went down a bit of a rabbit hole about his romantic past, and learned this Royal-adjacent tidbit.
His first wife, Diandra, who he was married to when the Kathleen Turner affair was going on, has since remarried – to a British Earl who is Princess Diana’s stepbrother.
It’s not surprising he and KT had a fling, he seemed to date a lot of his costars and she has a similar vibe to Brenda Vaccaro – a talented actress he was with for years before he got married the first time.
I’m glad he got permission from the women, but he always seemed skeevy to me. I hate his voice.
Aimee, I also believe he is skeevy. Great word.