Michael Douglas on Becoming Benjamin Franklin, Being Asked to Run for California Governor and Throwing Up Due to Stage Fright
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When Michael Douglas was invited to play Benjamin Franklin in Apple TV+’s “Franklin,” he immediately took out a $100 bill. “I looked at Ben and thought, ‘I’ve got a long ways to go,’” the two-time Oscar winner tells Variety.
Douglas didn’t just worry that he’d have to spend hours in the makeup chair — the series took more than 160 days to shoot. He was also nervous that heavy prosthetics would hurt his performance. “Your persona has gotta come through,” he says.
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But Douglas’ fears were groundless. Director Tim Van Patten and producer Richard Plepler had no intention of hiding his face under a rubbery nose and jowls. “They looked at me like, ‘You schmuck. We’re not going to do that to you,’” Douglas recalls.
Based on Stacy Schiff ’s “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,” the show follows Franklin’s 1776 trip to Paris, where he hopes to persuade the king to fund America’s fight for independence. Noah Jupe co-stars as his grandson and traveling companion Temple. “If we didn’t get France’s support, who knows what would have happened,” Douglas says.
You didn’t use face prosthetics, but your hair is very long. Was it a wig?
I was a hippie in another life. When I was in college I had very long hair, so I grew it out. And once I got over the angst about the prosthetics and then got dressed like Benjamin Franklin, it was all much easier than I thought. I realized I’m a celebrity, and Ben Franklin was a celebrity. Ben Franklin was playing a role, and he did a spectacular job. It was his first time out in diplomacy. He had a great sense of humor but was also a bit promiscuous. I would never have wanted to have been his wife.
In one scene, Franklin curses someone, saying, “You bucket-headed lopcock!” What is a bucket-headed lopcock?
You think I know! That was my first question when we were doing that scene. [Laughs]
The series explores how Ben Franklin influenced the formative years of our nation. What would he think about the state of U.S. politics today?
He’d probably have a heart attack. Democracy is hard. It’s always changing shape. It’s a very endangered species that always has to be protected.
Have you ever thought about running for office?
I was asked to run for governor of California many years ago during Pete Wilson’s reign. I asked them, “Why me?” And they said, “We need somebody who has the financial resources to support their campaign and somebody’s who got a notoriety and a celebrity.” I was like, “Is this a kamikaze mission?” I said, “No, I don’t think so.”
After all these years, is there a genre you still want to tackle?
I always wanted to do a period piece, but I always thought my legs were too skinny. [Laughs] So I think I’ve done them all now. This was an eight-month shoot. I had a lovely, lovely time. And all these French actors? I could just hug them all. They were great. Some actors get nervous, but I just embrace it.
Did you ever get so nervous that you were unsure of yourself?
I had terrible stage fright. I used to puke when I was in theater. I had a wastebasket offstage.
You’re turning 80 in September. Big plans to mark that milestone?
Catherine [Zeta-Jones] and I have the same birthday. We’ll be in Ireland, where she’ll be shooting “Wednesday.” So we’ll probably have a small birthday but then probably rip it up when she gets finished.
Will we ever see you pop up in “Wednesday”?
Not this year. We do talk about doing different things. We finished “Franklin” in November of 2022. I took ’23 off, which I really liked. I liked it so much that we’re well into ’24 and I’m not looking at anything right now. I’m enjoying my time off.
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