Michael Douglas gets AFI Life Achievement Award
TV Land PRIME shows AFI gala night for Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, superstars and industry giants
“I’m a very proud wife tonight,” Catherine Zeta-Jones beamed as she arrived for the America Film Institute’s ceremony honoring her husband Michael Douglas. The stunning Catherine noted how happy she was just to bask in the glow of the spotlight shining on her hubby and her father-in-law Kirk Douglas.
At the 37th AFI Life Achievement gala airing on TV Land PRIME (July 19 premiere) Michael received the same honor he handed his famous dad in 1991. Both enjoyed strolling the red carpet before the big event, and Michael greeted his father with a kiss and a big hug.
“Tonight is very special to me, because my father is here, years after getting his award. And my mother is here. I’m touched, I really am,” Michael said. The feeling was mutual from the matriarch and patriarch, Anne and Kirk Douglas who were treated like royalty on the Sony Studios lot where the event took place.
Kirk was asked “Who is sexier, you or Michael?” And the still energetic 92-year-old said with a wink and a nudge, “You would ask me that in front of my wife?”
“It makes me feel like an old man when they give my son a lifetime achievement award. The kid’s too young!” said Kirk, the legendary of Spartacus star. When Kirk was asked how it felt to have his son follow in his footsteps, Kirk pointed out that “Michael followed his own path, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
How did Michael, at 64, wind up with the AFI Life Achievement Award? He said, “I’ve never been worried about being a movie star. Go with good material, and don’t worry about the size of your role. You just have to do what you love to do.”
Michael had big news about returning to his Oscar-winning role as Gordon “Greed is good” Gekko, in a sequel to the movie Wall Street, now in pre-production. The working title is Money Never Sleeps, and he would only reveal that “Oliver Stone, who directed the first one so well, is back. He’s sworn me and the entire cast to secrecy, so that’s all I can tell you about it. And I’m looking forward to working with Shia LaBeouf.”
A lot of Michael’s co-stars, friends and superstars showed up for his tribute. Kathleen Turner costar of Romancing the Stone; Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct; Anne Archer, Fatal Attraction; Annette Bening, The American President; Erika Christensen, Traffic; and Matthew McConaughy, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Michael’s most recent on-screen appearance.
This fall he’ll be seen in the courtroom thriller Beyond A Reasonable Doubt, in which Jesse Metcalfe also stars. Handsome young Jesse is most famous for being Eva Longoria’s lawn-mowing paramour on Desperate Housewives.
Jesse Metcalfe with Margie Barron
Metcalfe and I chatted about what it was like to play a scene with a legend. Jesse said, “Day one on the set with Michael was intense. It was a climatic courtroom scene where he’s interrogating me, and it was such a rush to go head to head with him. I let out some big emotions. The entire experience had a serious impact on me to always do great work.”
More stars and industry giants from Douglas’ inner-circle of friends included Warren Beatty, Pat Riley, Jason Reitman, Oliver Stone, Martin Sheen, Benicio del Toro, Tobey Maguire, James Keach, Jane Seymour, Eric McCormack, Melanie Griffith, Carole Bayer Sager, Leonard Maltin, Sumner Redstone and Hugh Hefner with his entourage of lovely blondes.
Among the many highlights of the evening was Catherine Zeta-Jones surprising her husband with a musical number. That’s entertainment!
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