Kathleen Turner has broken her silence after Michael Douglas confirmed a 40-year rumor that the pair had been in a romantic relationship while filming the 1984 adventure movie Romancing The Stone.
"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," Michael wrote in his memoir, sharing that their official line was "a lie" and that he “fell hard” for the actress.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesIn response, Kathleen shared a statement with People magazine, which read: "Good heavens what a fuss about something 40 years ago!"
The 72-year-old actress continued: "I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book."
At the time of the romance, which was between July and October 1983, Michael was separated from his then-wife Diandra Lukar, with whom he shares son Cameron.
© Alamy Stock PhotoIn the memoir, One Helluva Ride (released October 6, 2026), Michael wrote that the chemistry the pair had on screen had left audiences "certain for years that we were in a relationship together while making the film."
"We both denied it through Romancing The Stone, Jewel of the Nile, War of the Roses, and even while doing press a few years ago for The Kominsky Method," he shared.
"The official story went as follows: Yes, we confessed, we had amazing chemistry. Yes, we were both, as Kathleen said, 'terrible flirts,' and yes, we were both tempted, but nothing ever happened between us. That was a lie."
© Getty ImagesWhile on set in Mexico, Michael and Kathleen would go out to dinner and sneak into each other's hotel room after the rest of the cast and crew were asleep. He claimed that everyone was unaware of their connection, even their co-star Danny DeVito.
However the romance came to an end when Diandra visited the set with their son Cameron.
"I was so happy to have my son there, but their arrival created another problem," Michael detailed. "While Bob [Zemeckis, the director] and Danny had no clue about my affair with Kathleen, Diandra grew suspicious."
© InstagramHe wrote that Katheleen decided to step back from their growing relationship, and Michael and Diandra reconnected.
They remained married until 1995; their divorce was finalized in 2000. Michael is now married to actress Catherine Zeta Jones, and they have two children.
Kathleen released her own memoir, Send Yourself Roses: Thoughts on My Life, Love, and Leading Roles, in 2008 but did not disclose the romance.
Kathleen tied the knot with real estate entrepreneur Jay Weiss in 1984, and they welcomed their daughter Rachel in 1987. The pair divorced in 2007.
