Cher's team deflects the slight with warmth, stating simply that 'Cher adores Michael Douglas,' framing the exchange as playful banter among legends rather than a genuine feud.
Insiders note that Glenn Close's joke about the Academy giving her an honorary Oscar to stop 'feeling guilty' reveals the deep-seated resentment over her eight nominations and zero competitive wins, a wound Michael Douglas is clearly still pressing.
At the 60th Academy Awards in 1988, Cher won Best Actress for 'Moonstruck,' beating Glenn Close ('Fatal Attraction'), Holly Hunter ('Broadcast News'), Sally Kirkland ('Anna'), and Meryl Streep ('Ironweed'). Close is set to receive an Honorary Oscar at the November 2026 Governors Awards.
Douglas isn't just reminiscing; he's actively rewriting the narrative of the 1988 Oscars, insisting Close's performance was 'one of the greatest of all time' and the Academy got it spectacularly wrong.
Michael Douglas has officially entered the chat on one of Hollywood’s most debated Oscar upsets, and he did not hold back. During a recent appearance on the "Graham Norton Show," the 82-year-old actor joined his "Fatal Attraction" co-star Glenn Close and declared that Cher’s 1988 Best Actress win for "Moonstruck" was a mistake. Douglas, seated alongside Close, Kieran Culkin, and Naomi Ackie, didn’t mince words when the topic of the 60th Academy Awards came up. "She should have won with ‘Fatal Attraction,'" Douglas stated firmly, referring to Close’s iconic role as the obsessive Alex Forrest. The tension was palpable, even if masked by British talk show charm. Close, 79, who has been nominated for eight Oscars without ever securing a competitive win, offered a biting explanation for her upcoming Honorary Oscar at the November Governors Awards. "The Academy members probably don’t want to feel guilty anymore," she quipped, a line that landed with the weight of decades of snubs. Douglas picked up the thread, noting that Close’s performance remains "one of the greatest performances of all time." When host Graham Norton asked, "Was that for ‘Moonstruck?'" referencing Cher’s romantic comedy, Douglas replied with a knowing, "Oh wow," followed by, "I know. That’s what we all said." The room erupted in laughter, but the sentiment was sharp. Naomi Ackie, 35, couldn't help but react to the sheer audacity of the shade, exclaiming, "The shade! The shade, mate!" Norton attempted to lighten the mood with a joke about Cher’s hair color, noting, "But Cher put some gray in her hair, so there you go," a nod to the transformative look that helped secure her win. However, the underlying message from the "Basic Instinct" star was clear: he believes the Academy favored a crowd-pleasing comedy over a psychological thriller performance that deserved the gold statuette. This isn't just a casual observation; it’s a public endorsement of Close’s career over Cher’s, thirty-eight years later. Cher’s camp, however, seems unbothered by the retrospective critique. When Page Six reached out for comment, a representative for the 80-year-old singer offered a diplomatic, almost dismissive response: "Cher adores Michael Douglas." This short statement serves as a masterclass in PR deflection, refusing to engage with the substance of Douglas’s claim. In "Moonstruck," Cher played Loretta Castorini, a Brooklyn widow who falls for her fiancé’s brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage). It was a role that showcased her comedic timing and emotional range, securing her place in Oscar history. But for Douglas and Close, the narrative remains that "Fatal Attraction" was the superior artistic achievement. As we approach the 2026 Governors Awards, this exchange serves as a reminder that in Hollywood, some losses never really end—they just get better press.
