Michael Douglas denies sex addiction claims as he hits fiery response at reporter
Michael Douglas has hit back at a reporter during a tense interview after being questioned about sex addiction rumors.
The 82-year-old actor recently sat down with The Sunday Times to promote his new autobiography, One Helluva Ride, which chronicles his decades-long career as an Oscar-winning producer and movie star, but it also delves into his highly publicized romantic life.
During the sit-down, journalist Decca Aitkenhead asked the Hollywood icon why he decided to share so many intimate details with the world now that he's in his eighties.
She asked if the Fatal Attraction star had ever stopped to wonder why he slept with so many women throughout his life.
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Douglas reportedly narrowed his eyes before replying: “I don’t know if I slept with so many women, I don’t see it that way. No, not me, no. I was a healthy product of the sixties."
He then slammed the Brit: “My curiosity is why, of all countries, of all the press that I do, why are the Brits so consumed with the issues of sex?”
When Aitkenhead pointed out that she only asked because his new book is full of sexual encounters and past relationships, Douglas disagreed.
“I didn’t feel like it was," he replied. "I mention a couple [of women] in the book.”
She then reminded him of a specific passage where he told his now-wife Catherine Zeta-Jones that he needed to break things off with five different women before they could date exclusively.
“No, no, it’s not what it was. What Catherine said is, if we’re going to continue this then I want it to be monogamous."
He added: "And so I therefore, that evening, you know, made some calls to some people I was seeing, and that was that.”
The tense exchange also touched on a 1992 tabloid report that falsely claimed the Basic Instinct star had entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction - in actual fact, Douglas entered treatment at the time to address his personal issues with alcohol and substance abuse, following an ultimatum from his first wife.
Addressing the lingering rumor in his new memoir, the text in the book clarifies the truth behind his time away.
“I was never,” as the book says, “a f***ing sex addict.”
When asked about the concept of sex addiction as a genuine condition during the interview, Douglas took direct aim at the tabloid press.
Douglas blasted: “A British tabloid editor came up with this story, which, thank you very much, here we are talking about at 82.
"It happens with the tabloids and, well, I won’t blame your country alone, but you’re probably better known for it than most. It wasn’t true.”
Douglas has been married to Welsh actress Zeta-Jones for 25 years after the pair first crossed paths at a film festival in 1998.
As for whether his wife approves of what he has written in his book. Douglas replied: "She hasn’t read it."
One Helluva Ride is earmarked for release tomorrow (October 6).
Joe Yates