Cher addresses Michael Douglas after his Oscars claim about Glenn Close
The Wall Street actor told a talk show audience that his Fatal Attraction co-star deserved the Best Actress statuette won for Moonstruck.
Cher has addressed comments made by Michael Douglas after the actor asserted that his Fatal Attraction co-star Glenn Close should have won the 1988 Best Actress Academy Award over her.
In a brief statement given to Entertainment Weekly on November 3, 2026, a representative for Cher moved quickly to shut down talk of bad blood, telling the outlet, “Cher adores Michael Douglas.” The response was also reported by People, Just Jared, and The Washington Times.
What Michael Douglas said on television
The conversation began during the October 30, 2026 broadcast of BBC’s The Graham Norton Show, where Douglas appeared on the sofa alongside Close. The appearance came ahead of Close receiving an Honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November 2026, which prompted discussion of her Academy Awards history.
During the segment, Douglas revisited the 1988 Oscar race between Close and Cher. “She should have won with Fatal Attraction,” Douglas said, gesturing toward Close. When the live audience reacted with murmurs and laughter, Douglas added, “I know, that’s what we all said.”
Close responded immediately to Douglas on air, telling him, “Michael, be kind!” Studio guest Naomi Ackie called out, “The shade! The shade, mate!” as fellow guest Kieran Culkin laughed on the couch. Addressing her upcoming honorary statuette, Close joked that Academy voters “probably don’t want to feel guilty anymore.”
The 1988 Academy Awards race
The debate looks back at the 60th Academy Awards in 1988, which featured one of the most celebrated Best Actress lineups in Oscars history. Cher took home the statuette for her starring performance in Moonstruck, beating out Close for Fatal Attraction, Holly Hunter for Broadcast News, Sally Kirkland for Anna, and Meryl Streep for Ironweed.
Douglas was also a major winner that same evening. He picked up the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street.
Close has earned eight competitive Academy Award nominations across her career without a victory, a record that has made her Oscar history an ongoing topic in Hollywood.
How fans reacted
Douglas’s comments sparked fresh debate among movie fans. As reported by The Independent on November 2, 2026, audiences on social media split over the remarks. Many defended Cher’s performance in Moonstruck as iconic and fully deserving of the win, while others agreed with Douglas and praised Close’s chilling work as Alex Forrest.
The exchange also drew coverage across entertainment outlets, including E! News, following the viral interest in the talk show appearance.
What is not yet known is whether Douglas and Cher have spoken directly in private following the television broadcast.
