Michael Douglas memoir recounts his path to playing Gordon Gekko and winning an Oscar
In his new memoir, Michael Douglas details how he prepared for and portrayed Gordon Gekke in Wall Street, a role that earned him an Academy Award.
Michael Douglas released a memoir titled One Helluva Ride on Tuesday, co-written with Shane Salerno and Mike Fleming Jr. The book chronicles Douglas’s career, focusing on his breakthrough as Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone’s 1987 film Wall Street.
Douglas explains that the studio initially considered Warren Beatty and Richard Gere for the role before Stone sent him the screenplay. He says Stone was drawn to Douglas because of his experience as an Oscar-winning producer and his reputation for taking risks. > “Oliver told me he found an edge in me that he liked and felt I had the right mix of charisma and business savvy to play Gekko.”
To develop the character, Douglas studied the attire of real-life financiers, consulted costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, and modeled Gekko’s demeanor on figures such as Carl Icahn and Michael Milken. He also worked with a speech coach to master the lengthy monologues, including the famous “Greed is good” speech, which was adapted from a real-world speech by Ivan Boesky.
Filming began on April 15, 1987, with Douglas noting the intense rehearsal process and the demanding nature of the role. He recounts a scene shot in a real limousine where director Oliver Stone kept a low profile, preferring to watch from the video village rather than directly observing the actors.
Wall Street premiered on December 11, 1987, and became a cultural touchstone, influencing perceptions of finance professionals. Douglas’s performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, making him one of the few actors to win an Oscar for a role that originated as a corporate villain.
The memoir also touches on Douglas’s earlier achievements, including sharing the Best Picture Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and producing The China Syndrome, as well as his work on other notable films such as Romancing the Stone and Fatal Attraction.