Michael Douglas finally admits secret relationship with ‘Romancing the Stone’ co-star Kathleen Turner — after 40-year denial

See more of our coverage in your search results. Michael Douglas finally copped to his secret relationship with “Romancing the Stone” co-star Kathleen Turner after four decades of secrecy. In an excerpt of his upcoming “One Helluva Ride” memoir, shared by People on Friday, the 82-year-old actor described the “magic spell” of a romance on the 1984 set. At the time, the Oscar winner was married to Diandra Luker, with whom he shares son Cameron, but they were separated and, according to Douglas, “both having extramarital affairs.” Michael Douglas finally set the record straight on his relationship with “Romancing the Stone” co-star Kathleen Turner (pictured above in 1984.) ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection After four decades of secrecy, the actor (pictured above in June 2012) wrote of his “magic spell” of a romance with his co-star. Getty Images Douglas noted that he had a fling with the movie’s screenwriter, Diane Thomas, before meeting “smart, funny, and sexy” Turner, who “knocked [him] sideways.” In the movie, Douglas and Turner’s respective characters, Jack T. Colton and Joan Wilder, embark on a harrowing treasure hunt in Colombia. The pair were “immediately attracted to each other” and “fell hard” but kept their connection hidden from co-star Danny DeVito, director Robert Zemeckis and everyone else on set. Describing their connection as more than “a fly-by night affair,” Douglas wrote, “We found each other first as friends, then as co-stars and finally as lovers. Following an exhausting day of shooting in the jungle … I would sneak into her hotel room after everybody was asleep.” At the time, he was married to but separated from wife Diandra Luker (pictured above in March 1977), Douglas claimed in his upcoming “One Helluva Ride” memoir. Getty Images He insisted his connection to Turner (pictured above in 1984) was more than “a fly-by night affair.” ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Their rendezvous ended, however, when Luker, 70, and Cameron visited Douglas on set in Mexico — and the model confronted Turner. “Diandra grew suspicious,” the Golden Globe winner recalled. “A woman’s intuition, I suppose. At some point, she was alone with Kathleen and made it clear to her that we were still married. Her view of the terms of our separation was different from mine.” The conversation “gave Kathleen pause” as “she didn’t want to interfere,” which resulted in her and Douglas “end[ing] things.” “I went back to Diandra,” Douglas wrote. “I did it for Cameron, but we shouldn’t have gotten back together. After that first split it was never the same between us ever again.” He wrote that the duo (pictured above in 1984) were “immediately attracted to each other” and “fell hard.” Corbis via Getty Images However, they ended things after Turner’s on-set conversation with Luker (pictured above in January 1980.) Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images The duo ultimately divorced in 1995, with Douglas going on to wed Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000, with whom he shares son Dylan, 26, and daughter Carys, 23. Turner, for her part, was married to Jay Weiss between 1984 and 2007, with the couple welcoming daughter Rachel during their time together. She and Douglas returned to “solid ground” collaborating on the “Romancing the Stone” sequel, “The Jewel of the Nile,” in 1985 and went on to act alongside each other in “War of the Roses” and “Kominsky Method.” The former co-stars have kept their liaison under wraps all this time to “protect” Douglas’ ex-wife and son, the Emmy winner explained in his memoir, noting that they had an “official story” they followed. “Her view of the terms of our separation was different from mine,” Douglas wrote, noting that this gave Turner (pictured above in 1984) “pause” so they “ended things.” ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The pair (pictured above in 1984) went on to co-star in the film’s sequel, as well as “War of Roses” and “Kominsky Method.” ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection “Yes, we confessed, we had amazing chemistry,” he wrote. “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.” Turner’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment. The actress, notably, divulged People in 2021, “I was yearning, babe, but he was still married. … It was that wonderful sexual tension, you know? When you really, really know you want somebody — and I’m saying it went both ways — and you can’t have them.” She called Douglas’ attention “delicious” in a Guardian chat two years later, admitting, “I think we might have been falling in love. But then Diandra flew down and made it clear that she did not consider Michael to be available. So that ended that because I can’t get involved with another woman’s relationship.” They continued sharing an “official story” — that they “yearned” and “flirted” but did not act on their feelings — to “protect” Luker. (Pictured above: Douglass and Turner in June 2009.) Getty Images for AFI Douglas’ memoir hits bookshelves on Tuesday. Turner previously dubbed their bond “naughty” in 2018 and, the previous year, confessed to “wild crushes” full of “fervent, longing looks and heavy flirtation,” according to Express. She has dubbed Douglas a “misogynist” on multiple occasions, saying in 2017, “He may be different now, but I don’t think he would’ve liked me finding my power as his wife so, you know, it’s probably a good thing [we didn’t end up together].” “One Helluva Ride” hits bookshelves Tuesday. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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