Cher has responded, through her representative, after Michael Douglas suggested that Glenn Close should have beaten her to the Best Actress Oscar in 1988. "Cher adores Michael Douglas," a spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly by email.
The star herself did not comment directly. Douglas made the remark on The Graham Norton Show last week, while appearing alongside Close.
When Norton replied "Oh, wow," Douglas quipped: "I know, that's what we all said." Close cut in with, "Michael, be kind!" Cher won Best Actress at the 60th Academy Awards for Moonstruck, while Close was nominated for her performance as Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction.
Douglas himself won Best Actor that night for Wall Street. Fatal Attraction earned six nominations, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Anne Archer, and Best Director for Adrian Lyne, but did not win any.
Douglas noted that the 1988 nomination was, by his count, Close's fourth since 1983. Cher had also been nominated that year for Best Supporting Actress, for Silkwood.
The comments come at a notable time for Close, who is due to receive her first Honorary Award from the Academy days after the interview. She has been nominated eight times without winning a competitive Oscar.
Douglas also told Norton that the Fatal Attraction team initially had doubts about casting Close as Alex Forrest, and that she won the part after her agent pushed for her to be given an audition. Industry analysts have noted that historical Oscar debates continue to generate substantial public interest decades after the ceremonies take place.
Entertainment figures often revisit these moments during talk show appearances, sparking renewed conversations among film enthusiasts worldwide. As the discussion surrounding the 60th Academy Awards settles, both Cher and Glenn Close remain celebrated icons in Hollywood, each boasting remarkable careers filled with critical acclaim and enduring commercial success across multiple decades of filmmaking.