Fun, foul-mouthed reunion for Turner, Douglas on 鈥楰ominsky鈥
Nearly four decades ago, 鈥淩omancing the Stone鈥 introduced audiences to the crackling chemistry between Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
Now at 76 and 66 years old, Douglas and Turner are back on screen together in the third and final season of Netflix鈥檚 鈥淭he Kominsky Method.鈥 Despite the many years that have passed since their third and last film together, their reunion was seamless.
鈥淟ike riding a bicycle,鈥 Douglas said over a video call earlier last week. 鈥淲e鈥檇 look at each other, and there鈥檚 a lot of memories coming back.鈥
The Los Angeles-set 鈥淜ominsky Method鈥 doesn鈥檛 place the pair in the same exotic locations as 1984鈥檚 鈥淩omancing the Stone鈥 or its sequel 鈥淛ewel of the Nile.鈥 But it does include the type of caustic barbs from their last film together, 1989鈥檚 鈥淭he War of the Roses.鈥
It was with that in mind that Douglas thought to invite Turner to join 鈥淭he Kominsky Method鈥 in its second season to play his character鈥檚 sharp-tongued ex-wife, who鈥檚 introduced during a phone call. The idea came to Douglas immediately when creator/writer Chuck Lorre mentioned introducing an ex-wife to the show.
鈥淚 just smiled and I said, 鈥楾his is 鈥楾he War of the Roses鈥 revisited 30 years later,鈥欌 Douglas said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e already got our back stories and we鈥檙e all set.鈥
As in the film, Turner often uses R-rated terms when speaking to Douglas鈥 character, which never fails to delight her in real life.
鈥(There are) two times at least when she gets to go, 鈥楴o, I鈥檓 f------- with you, a------!鈥 Turner recalled, laughing. 鈥淚t was just such fun. And he takes it very well, I have to say.鈥
Seeing the two of them act together again was 鈥渢hrilling,鈥 said Sarah Baker, who plays Douglas鈥 daughter in the show.
鈥淚 like to think of myself as the 鈥楻omancing the Stone鈥 baby,鈥 she joked. 鈥淭he chemistry is just there, that timing, the rapport between them. It鈥檚 the kind of thing, it鈥檚 very difficult to fake, so when you have that just inherently between you, we just got to sit back and watch and had a front-row seat, which was amazing.鈥
Paul Reiser, who plays Baker鈥檚 fiance, said he was struck by the uniqueness of Douglas鈥 and Turner鈥檚 relationship.
鈥淭here aren鈥檛 that many pairings of actors ... There aren鈥檛 that many that you鈥檝e seen repeatedly,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got De Niro and Pesci. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon ... You subconsciously have this history that the minute you see them. It almost breaks the frame in a good way. It makes what you鈥檙e watching seem a piece of what you鈥檝e been watching for years. It鈥檚 a real treat to have that.鈥
Turner鈥檚 presence 鈥 along with an expanded role for Reiser and smaller parts for Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Allison Janney 鈥 helps make up for the third season鈥檚 absence of Alan Arkin, who left the show after its second season. His banter with and needling of Douglas was pitch perfect and earned both men Emmy nominations.
鈥淗e was such an instrumental part of our success,鈥 Douglas said. 鈥淚t was a little bit of a risk ... but I felt strong enough for the other characters.鈥
Douglas said he鈥檚 sad the show is ending but that he appreciates what it has taught him.
鈥淥ne of the main reasons why I did it was just to kind of learn a little more about comedy and how you do it and your timing,鈥 he said. 鈥淎t this point in your career you kind of say, 鈥榃hat have you done? What haven鈥檛 you done?鈥欌
The experience has been 鈥渁 joy,鈥 he said, pointing in particular to Reiser鈥檚 comedic timing and Lorre鈥檚 writing.
Douglas is ready for his next acting challenge. He is about to start filming on the third 鈥淎nt-Man,鈥 which will be his first time performing in a movie using a green screen.
鈥淚 wanted to see what it was like,鈥 he said.
His reunion with Turner gave both of them a chance to reflect on their early careers.
Turner recalled first meeting Douglas over Mexican food before filming 鈥淩omancing the Stone.鈥
鈥溾極h, he鈥檚 very sexy,鈥欌 she recalled thinking of him. But she didn鈥檛 let that intimidate her. 鈥淗e鈥檚 quite sure of what he wants. He鈥檚 quite focused and specific. So you just kind of go, 鈥楿h huh, uh huh, OK.鈥 But then when you saw the work: 鈥業 need to be a full partner.鈥 And he understood and respected that.鈥
After that, the two of them 鈥渨ent through a lot.鈥
From mountainous muddy roads in Mexico to oppressive desert heat in Africa, filming their first two films was a true adventure. 鈥淭he War of the Roses鈥 also had its challenges, despite 90 percent of the film taking place in a house.
Turner said she and Douglas recently had a laugh about the film鈥檚 famous last scene, in which their warring characters become precariously stuck on a giant chandelier. The actors had to sit in the chandelier for hours and hours over the course of two weeks to get all the shots.
鈥淚t was very painful,鈥 Turner said. 鈥淐ontinuity loved it because all you had to do was lie down on the line of the bruises, you know? The arms, you just lined up the bruises, and then you were in the right position ... That was a real test of many things.鈥
Turner also continues to challenge herself with new experiences, developing a one-woman cabaret show 鈥淔inding My Voice,鈥 which got rave reviews and repeatedly sold out in New York, London and other cities between 2017 and 2020.
鈥淚 now sing, baby!鈥 said Turner in her trademark smoky voice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one more thing I haven鈥檛 done yet, so why not?鈥
Turner is currently filming an independent musical romance called 鈥淭he Swearing Jar鈥 in Canada.
As for her time on 鈥淭he Kominsky Method,鈥 Turner said it was a no-brainer.
鈥淎ll I had to do was really sort of fit into the whole thing,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was already working ... And Michael is my friend. You know, we鈥檙e just, 鈥榃hoa, it鈥檚 you.鈥欌
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