Hollywood star Michael Douglas shared an image to Instagram with his father Kirk Douglas on Friday.
The Wall Street actor was marking the one year passing of the Spartacus star at age 103.
In his caption, the Emmy winner made a comment about how his father was lucky to exit when he did as 2020 was an awful year. Not only did COVID-19 spread across the globe but there were deadly BLM protests and lives were lost at the Capitol riots in Washington DC.
A sweet tribute: Hollywood star Michael Douglas shared an image to Instagram with his father Kirk Douglas on Friday. The Wall Street actor was marking the one year passing of the Spartacus star at age 103.
‘Can’t believe it’s been a year since you left us. At 103, you picked a good time to check out. I love you with all my heart! #KirkDouglas,’ wrote the Streets of San Francisco actor.
Kirk was born in 1916 in New York and went on to have a very active film career with his most notable film 1960’s Spartacus.
He also appeared in 1956’s Lust For Life and 1962’s Lonely Are The Brave.
At the time of his death he was wed to Anne Buydens. He had four sons: Michael, Eric (who passed in 2004), Joel and Peter.
A hero to many: Kirk was born in 1916 in New York and went on to have a very active film career with his most notable film 1960’s Spartacus
Another hit for this vet: In the 1949 movie Champion directed by Mark Robson
In December, Michael shared a rare photo of his son Cameron and his growing family.
The actor posted to Instagram after Cameron, 42, and his girlfriend of four years, Viviane Thibes, welcomed their newborn baby boy Ryder T Douglas into the world earlier this week.
Sharing the sweet family snap that also featured the couple’s three-year-old daughter Lua, Douglas wrote: Congratulations Cameron and Viviane! Welcome to the world Ryder T. Douglas! #ProudGrandpa.’
Close family: Michael with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and dad Kirk in 2006
All together now: Kirk, far left, seen with Michael, Catherine, their two kids and extended family in a rare group photo from 2019
Wife of twenty years Catherine Zeta-Jones, 51, also congratulated Cameron and Viviane as she wrote, ‘And a new Douglas is born!!!!! Welcome to the world Ryder T. Douglas,’ while sharing the photo to her Instastory.
In the photo which was originally posted by Cameron to Instagram, the beaming family stood by a window as Vivian cradled the baby while Cameron looked at the camera with his arm around his partner.
Lua who sat in a princess dress had a priceless emotion on her face and looked wholly unamused to no longer be the only child in the family, as Michael joked, ‘Don’t think Lua is sure about this yet! What a holiday present.’
Catherine also could not but help take notice of the her unhappy face as she wrote, ‘Lua’s Face! like…..’whatever……….’ Hilarious! Congrats!!’
New addition: Douglas shares a rare photo of son Cameron, 42, and his girlfriend Viviane with their family after welcoming their newborn son Ryder
Grandparents: Though Michael shares his eldest son Cameron with former partner Diandra Luker, wife of twenty years Zeta-Jones loves his children’s kids like her own; pictured January 2020
Father-son duo: Cameron led a very troubled life of addiction in his early teens and twenties that landed him in jail in 2009 for possession and the selling of crystal meth; pictured 2018
The Basic Instinct actor’s eldest son who he shares with former partner Diandra Luker, Douglas seemed over the moon to be welcoming another grandchild into his life (he also shares son Dylan, 20, and daughter Carys, 17, with Zeta-Jones).
Despite being born into Hollywood royalty, Cameron had a longtime struggle with addiction to cocaine and heroin through his teens and early adulthood which eventually landed him in prison.
In 2009 he was arrested in an NYC hotel room with crystal meth and served out seven years in prison (two of which were in solitary confinement) for selling and possession of drugs.
Speaking about his troubled past in his 2019 memoir Long Way Home – which Michael encouraged him to write – he said:
Troubled teen: Despite being born into Hollywood royalty, Douglas’ drug use at an early age had lasting consequences and he served 7 years in prison (two of which were in solitary confinement) and he was released in 2016
‘I can’t go back and change a lot of my decisions and the pain and the wreckage that some of those decisions have caused. What I did endeavor to do was to take those experiences and turn them into something useful.’
Also crediting the birth of Lua and his girlfriend with keeping him clean and leading a better life for his family, he told People in 2019:
‘Having my daughter gives me a whole new perspective on life. My daughter is a source of inspiration. Hopefully she will see her father has accomplished a lot and is doing good things and maybe she’ll be proud of my journey.’
Now that he has a good head on his shoulders and a family to care for – including Ryder – he and his father have become a lot closer.
Family time: Cameron, Viviane, Michael, Catherine, Dylan, Carys, and Lua celebrated Thanksgiving together; November 2020