Michael Douglas Optimistic About Jailed Son's Future

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 11th 2010 02:01PM

Michael Douglas may have famously proclaimed "Greed is good!" as Gordon Gekko in his Academy Award-winning performance in 1987's 'Wall Street,' but these days, the actor is more focused on family than fame or fortune. In an interview with The Sun, the actor opens up about his acting career, his life with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and the things he wishes he'd done differently with his incarcerated son, Cameron.

Douglas, who married to Zeta-Jones in 2000, says of his home life: "I'm no longer obsessed about work and I've been enjoying time with my family... I'm returning to work now, but since I married Catherine it's been tough to get me out of the house." He adds, "Catherine and I have a lot of things we enjoy doing together... We share a humor and love traveling... We share the same business, so we both know the attention."

The actor, who has two children, Dylan, 9, and Carys, 6, with Zeta-Jones, and one son, Cameron, 31, with ex-wife Diandra Luker, says that parenting is easier the second time around. "I'm not consumed with my career, so I'm a better dad... Also, I enjoy it more."

Domestic life has not always been a breeze for the star, who struggled with addiction and a string of family tragedies in the 1990s. He says, "I lost my stepfather. My dad had that crash and then a stroke. There were the marital issues. Obviously I had issues with my oldest son, Cameron... I'd been working too hard and my mother had cancer problems. It was coming at me pretty much every which way for a while."

While things have settled down both personally and professionally for Douglas in recent years, his son Cameron has recently been charged with drug possession and intent to distribute, charges that carry a minimum prison sentence of ten years. The actor says, "It would have been better if I had been around more. Now my son's in a federal prison. Any family who has dealt with substance abuse knows how devastating it can be." However, Douglas remains optimistic about his son's future, saying, "He recognizes his own demons and struggles. He has a lot of life ahead."

While Douglas' career has taken a backseat to family life in the past few years, he is ready to reprise his role as Gordon Gekko in this year's 'Wall Street' sequel co-starring Shia LeBeouf. The actor has also been tapped to play Liberace alongside Matt Damon in Steven Soderbergh's biopic, which begins filming this year. Despite his busy schedule, Douglas remains committed to his role as a father and husband, saying, "You divide your life into personal life and career, and I can't think of any time when the balance has been so good."

Tags: Cameron Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas

Comments

(30)

Thursday 11 February

By gimmea6

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Follow Alec Baldwin's example for parenting: swallow a few pills in front of them-straighten's 'em right out!

By Kevin

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I can't see Michael Douglas playing Liberace....

By Oprah

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Of all the Douglasses, I liked Donna Da Best.....

By john L.

ITS NICE TO HAVE THE MONEY AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO GET YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER SENT TO A LOW SECURITY FED PRISON AND PERHAPS GET THEIR TIME REDUCED TO SQUAT.....SOMETIMES A PARENT SIMPLY CANNOT DO ENOUGH....AND OTHER TIMES DO TOO MUCH.....EVEN IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE STAR..CRAP HAPPENS TO ALL OF US SOONER OR LATER!

By amurph109

If his son is doing 10 or more years, he will NOT be going to any kind of low security camp! The Federal Bereau of Prisons will send him behind the wall automatically, and the Feds don't care who you are, either.

By mroneoftheguys

Michael Douglas is optimistic about his 31 yr old son who is in prison...what a nice thing to say...not something I would say to my son if his life was crap...sitting in prison somewhere watching his life going down the tubes..................

By Bob

Just take a close look. He's a bum.

Friday 12 February

By Seamus O'Dorain

One day someone will discover a way to "have your cake and eat it" As for Michael fame and plaudits are oh so nebulous, evaporating as they do in the cold light of day. Kipling said it "success and failure" are imposters and should be treated accordingly.JMD

By bflogrl4evr

Michael Douglas you are still IN DENIAL. You were a lousy husband and father. You had numerous affairs on your wife, were a sex addict and NEVER there for your son. Are you that stupid that you don't get the message of the trouble your son is in. 10 year MINIMUM sentence. And you're optimistic? Was Cameron selling to you on the side by any chance?

By sara

i agree with you bflogrl4evr michael douglas sounds like he's in another orbit.he is clueless.i feel bad for cameron.for michael douglas to excuse his bad parenting by saying his son was born at the wrong time in his life is sickening to me.

By Tae

Word

Monday 28 June

By Pat

During the trial he blames his ex wife and her parenting skills. What a loser.

By Jana

Well, I'm certainly glad the "balance" in his life has never been this good! He apparently would be on the moon if his son wasn't in prison? - wtf????? I've always liked Michael, but after these statements, I won't watch another movie of his. I know he doesn't care, but I do. I also care that his son obviously has been crying out to him for years and he was never there, or he wouldn't be in prison. Sad story.

By Janet

He is an adult....you can't blame your parents forever....it is time to grow up

By leon

instead of the kid and other movies he should just go back to Romancing the Stone movies. I think he can make more money with those.

By jim

MICHAEL DOUGLAS IS A VERY GOOD ACTOR BUT ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES HAS BEEN KIRK DOUGLAS. SEEING THE LENGTH OF THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, ITS BEEN BETTER THAN MANY OTHER FAMILYS, AS FAR AS INCIDENTS. KIRK DOUGLAS & BURT LANCASTER WILL ALWAYS BE 2 OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, EVERYONE MAKES THEIR OWN DESTINY, FEW HAVE THE CAPABILTYS OF BRINGING IT ABOUT TO A SUCCESSFUL ENDING. I ALWAYS DID ONE THING BEFORE I DID ANYTHING, WHAT WILL THE CONSEQUENCES BE - PRO OR CON OF MY ACTIONS. THINK BEFORE YOU LEAP!!!!!

By JOEY THE GENT

HEY MIKE DOES YOUR LATE BROTHER //RING ANY BELL,S

By Diana

I wouldnt be able to say anything about being 'happy', if one of my sons was in prison. I guess its how he looks at life? I am happy for him, my heart goes out to his son though. I know my father would be miserable if one of his children was locked up, age wouldnt matter either.

By Robbie L

Sounds like most of you don't have any idea about the cause of drug addiction. It really is a disease. Most kids experiment, you just may not know about it, but they do, and some get hooked. Some are looking for escape, it doesnt matter if you are home, telling them they are great, loved, handsome, whatever. They dont always hear it. Every town is loaded with druggies, and of those that get help, and sometimes doing time helps, they grow up, set some goals, cope better with the ups and downs of life. and get on with theirs. And then some won't.

By don

With all that has been written about drugs you would think by now that anyone who had a brain would just not experiment. Millions of people don't experiment, if you do, tough. You get what you deserve for being just plain stupid.

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