Michael Douglas on His Memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’: Selling Drugs, Avoiding an HIV-Spiked Needle and His Father’s Shadow

Michael Douglas, renowned for his work in films such as "Romancing the Stone," "Wall Street," and "The American President," has released his memoir "One Helluva Ride." The book delves into behind-the-scenes details from his most beloved projects alongside personal anecdotes about his life, including his relationship with his famous father, Kirk Douglas, his battles with stage IV cancer, and his search for a father figure.

Douglas, 82, began contemplating writing the book after completing his last major project, the Apple TV miniseries "Franklin" in 2022. Screenwriter Shane Salerno, a co-author on the book, had been urging Douglas for years to pen his memoir. The memoir, co-authored by Salerno, took 18 months to complete. Douglas' decision to write the book stemmed from his dissatisfaction with his current lifestyle, feeling that "I had a chance to go back and relive and look at these pictures and remember which year and you touching base with a lot of the people that I talk in the book, reminding each other about stories that are coming out for the first time in the book."

Throughout the memoir, themes such as Douglas' search for a father figure and his relationship with Kirk recur. Despite Kirk's difficult upbringing and their tumultuous relationship, Douglas still yearned for a connection with his father.