Michael Douglas says his cancer diagnosis revealed how few people in his life would check in.
The Oscar-winning actor, 82, reflected on the isolation he experienced during his illness in an interview with The New York Times, published Oct. 3, ahead of the release of his forthcoming memoir, "One Helluva Ride."
"There's something about cancer, it makes people not want to be near you," Douglas said. “I was surprised by how few people checked in. They don't know what to say.”
Douglas was diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer in 2010 after doctors discovered a tumor at the base of his tongue, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation, for which he later recorded a public-service announcement. The experience forced him to confront his mortality while also
bringing a greater appreciation for those who stayed in touch, the Times reported.
"I wondered if my luck had run out," he writes in the memoir.
Michael Douglas recalls the friend who kept reaching out
Screenwriter Shane Salerno was among those who regularly contacted Douglas during his cancer experience, the actor told the outlet.
Salerno, whom Douglas met in the early 2000s, sent playful messages teasing him about the doubts that had followed his early career, including comparisons with his father, Kirk Douglas.
"I tried to remind Michael that every time someone had told him he couldn't do something he had proven them wrong," Salerno told the outlet in an interview.
"I was really touched. It meant a lot," Douglas said.
Michael Douglas opens up about family and his abusive father
Douglas also reflected on the strain his career placed on his first marriage in a separate Associated Press interview published by the Ottumwa Courier.
"I do not believe that you can balance career with family. You just can't balance it," he said. "So I'm always saying to my kids or anybody else that will listen – get your career out of the way before you think about marrying and having kids. That affected my first marriage, because I was consumed.'
In the same interview, Douglas discussed his late father Kirk Douglas' physical abuse, saying he could not have written the memoir while his father was alive.
"He was of a generation that hit," Douglas said, explaining that forgiving his father took time.
"My love for him grew as we both aged," Douglas said in his New York Times interview. "Between Dad and I, we had 80 years in the business, 160 movies. He'd say, 'Michael, if I knew how successful you were going to be I would have been nicer.'"
Michael Douglas is enjoying a slower pace away from acting
Douglas has also spoken about finding relief in his acting hiatus.
In a November 2025 interview with USA TODAY, he said stepping back had eased the pressure and anxiety associated with performing. Though he had not formally retired, he shared that he's at "pace where I am right now," and was enjoying travel, golf and yoga.
"It's the third chapter, third act," he told USA TODAY. "I'm exploring other things without any great responsibility. I'm quite happy."
His memoir also reveals a romance with Kathleen Turner during the making of 1984's "Romancing the Stone," after the pair denied their relationship for decades.
"Kathleen was smart, funny, and sexy with a deep, sultry voice that became her signature. I instantly liked her, and we were immediately attracted to each other," Douglas wrote in the book.
Speaking to USA TODAY about what he was thankful for, Douglas pointed to those closest to him: "I'm thankful for my health, for my beautiful wife and my children. I'm very grateful to have the family around me that I have."
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michael Douglas recalls shocking response from friends after cancer diagnosis
