Michael Douglas Got VERY Tense When A Reporter Asked About THAT Rumor — And The Awkward Silence Says It All

Stop scrolling, because Michael Douglas just had one of those interviews where you can practically hear the silence — and the reporter wrote it all down.

The 82-year-old actor got defensive in a new Sunday Times profile ahead of his memoir, One Helluva Ride, after being asked about his romantic history and a rumor that has followed him for decades. According to Page Six, things got awkward fast.

The Tea ☕

• Douglas insists his book is not "full of sex" and says he only mentions "a couple" of partners.
• He flatly denies the long-running rumor that he went to rehab for sex addiction in the '90s, calling it untrue.
• He also took a swipe at the British press for being "so consumed with the issues of sex."

"No, No, It's Not What It Was"

The interviewer pointed out that Douglas writes about having to end things with five women before getting serious with now-wife Catherine Zeta-Jones. His reply, per Page Six: "No, no, it's not what it was."

He then explained that Zeta-Jones told him that if they were going to continue, she wanted it to be monogamous. So that evening he "made some calls to some people I was seeing, and that was that."

The reporter noted that in the silence that followed, his expression suggested he thought he'd just corrected them. We are not okay. 😬

The Rehab Rumor, Addressed

Douglas also pushed back on the idea that he's slept with "so many women," saying he doesn't "see it that way" and calling himself "a healthy product of the '60s."

On the rehab rumor, he said a British tabloid editor "came up with this story," adding that it's something we're still talking about "at 82." His verdict: "It wasn't true." Page Six reports that the memoir, out Tuesday, says he was "never a f--king sex addict."

Yes, we see the irony of a tabloid writing about him dissing tabloids. Moving on.

About That Kathleen Turner Bombshell

The memoir isn't short on drama elsewhere. Page Six notes that Douglas finally admits to a love affair with his Romancing the Stone co-star Kathleen Turner, which the pair kept secret for 40 years. He describes it as a "magic spell" and more than a "fly-by-night affair."

Turner, 72, reportedly shrugged off all the "fuss" on Friday. The fling happened while Douglas was married but separated from his first wife, Diandra Luker.

The Marriage Question

When asked how he "won back" Zeta-Jones after their brief 2013 separation, Douglas took issue with the phrasing. "We had our problems but I love her dearly and, 25 years, you know," he said, adding that marriage "is a lot of work" and that they're "in good shape."

Page Six says Douglas' rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Note that the "narrowed eyes" and "accusatory" tone come from the reporter's description of the interview, not from us.

So, Who's Right Here?

Memoirs are all about controlling your own story, and Douglas clearly wants to do just that. Whether the interview was a moment of fair pushback or a little too defensive is, well, up for debate.

Is Michael Douglas right to be annoyed at the questions, or is this what happens when you put out a tell-some memoir? Sound off in the comments.

Sources: Page Six, citing the Sunday Times profile