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Douglas Plays "The Game" By His Own Rules
By David Fenigsohn
MSNBC News


LOS ANGELES — Michael Douglas believes in himself as a matter of necessity.

“So much of how we function in life is based on confidence,” the actor says with the same intensity he brings to his on-screen roles. “Things we take for granted are based on how confident we are. Once you lose confidence, we tend to begin to self-destruct.”

Douglas knows of what he speaks. For the past decade, his most memorable performances have been a gallery of damaged psyches, ranging from his Oscar-winning role as morally bankrupt corporate raider Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street,” to Sharon Stone’s plaything in “Basic Instinct.” Off-screen, Douglas has weathered a broken marriage and waged a much-publicized battle with addictions, now behind him.

More than any other actor, Douglas has been the face of the “angry white male,” victimized by powers beyond his control. Douglas’ chilling portrayal of a laid-off defense contractor striking out against society in “Falling Down” made it disturbingly easy to sympathize — even root for — his psychotic character. In the controversial “Disclosure,” Douglas is sexually assaulted by Demi Moore, then falsely accused of harassment.

In his latest film, “The Game,” Douglas is again at war with forces beyond him. Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, a workaholic who finds little joy in life. His irresponsible younger brother (played brilliantly by Sean Penn) presents him with a gift — entrance into a mysterious game, the details of which he can not reveal. But as Van Orton soon finds out, the “game” may well be a matter of life or death.

Meeting the press to promote the film, Douglas, 52, appears fit and relaxed. Looking sharp in a sports coast and turtleneck, he fields questions easily, with a mix of candor, humor and charisma.

“What interests me is ambivalence,” he says. “People are not good. People are not evil. They’re somewhere in between. I’ve been fortunate enough to play roles where the audience may not initially like you very much, then begins to realize your dilemma.”

Douglas says he relishes such challenges, even if, as he admits, “The victimization process got a little exhausting. There are parts of the process that are scary. Emotionally scary.”

And if “The Game” scared the star, Douglas promises it will terrify the audience. “‘The Game’ is the best script I have read in years,” he says. “Each year they try to make roller coasters faster, to physically scare you. This movie is an exercise of your mind. And the mind has more imagination and can be more frightening than anything that is real.”

The film, directed by David Fincher (“Seven”) had its share of prerelease publicity. Penn was a late replacement for Jodie Foster, who sued Polygram Films before settling out of court. At issue was whether Douglas’ co-star would play his sibling or his offspring.

Douglas downplays the incident — he is a little young to be playing Foster’s father, and perhaps a little old to be playing Penn’s brother. (Foster is 35, Penn is 37). “If she did the picture, I said ‘She’d play my kid sister.’ She wanted to play my daughter. And I said ‘I don't think so. She can play my kid sister, but I know how old Jodie is, too.’ ”

While it is clear Douglas’ fingerprints are all over the film, he did not produce the project. Douglas has a tremendously successful track record as a producer, both of his own films and outside projects — most recently, he served as executive producer of “Face/Off.” But after decades of doing double duty, he had decided he that he will no longer star and produce the same film.

“I love the irresponsibility of acting,” he says with a laugh. “It is just so much fun because you can relax, and the only thing that matters is what is in front of you. As opposed to producing, where you have watch 360 degrees around you at everything that is going on. I don’t like the split. You don't enjoy either one.”

It was as a producer that Douglas had his first big on-screen hit. Having starred on the TV series “The Streets of San Francisco” for four years, he took a serious career risk in making his debut as a producer on “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.” The film was a tremendous hit, earning five Academy Awards. He went on to star in his next two productions, “The China Syndrome” and “Romancing the Stone,” both of which were also huge successes.

Reflecting back on his career, Douglas brings up the legacy of his father, legendary actor Kirk Douglas. Despite the fame and fortune, Kirk Douglas did not have an over-the-top Hollywood lifestyle, a style his son has adopted from him.

“I like my resume over 20-plus years. It is generally pretty good in terms of work, pictures. And I'm proud of the advantage of being second generation, of how I have handled my life in terms of trying some sort of reality base to it.”

And while being the son of a legend opened plenty of doors for Douglas, it also forced him into an uphill battle to prove he earned his accomplishments based on his own merit rather than his last name. Well he has been a well-respected figure in the industry for decades, it was not until his Academy Award that Douglas truly felt acceptance from Hollywood.

“[My Oscar] meant a tremendous amount,” Douglas says emphatically. “For somebody who had the shadow of your father for all those years, to be acknowledged by your acting peers really meant a lot to me. As much as you are just a fellow actor, [we] that are second generation do have that sense of being separated. There is a sense that no matter how hard you have worked or tried, do you really deserve it?”

Now, Douglas is at work on a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's “Dial M for Murder” co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and producing Francis Coppola’s adaptation of John Grisham’s best-seller “The Rainmaker.” It doesn't leave much time for rest, but that is fine with Douglas.

“The TV series turned me into an animal as far work ethic,” he says. “Nothing was harder than that. You take it on. They compensate you quite well, and you take it on.”






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