Cher has responded with characteristic grace to Michael Douglas’s viral remarks on The Graham Norton Show, where the actor reignited a decades-old debate by arguing that Glenn Close should have won the 1988 Best Actress Oscar instead of her.
The conversation unfolded when host Graham Norton noted that Close is set to receive an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. Douglas seized the moment to revisit the 60th Academy Awards, asserting that Close deserved the statuette for her performance in Fatal Attraction. When Norton pointed out that Cher ultimately took home the prize for her performance in Moonstruck, Douglas quipped, “I know, that’s what we all said!”—triggering laughter from the studio audience and leaving Close to urge him to “be kind.”
Glenn Close talks about her honorary Oscar and Michael Douglas does that… pic.twitter.com/DjbVwFQljj
The 1988 Academy Awards Race and What Followed
- The Nominees: The 1988 Best Actress category pitted Cher (Moonstruck) and Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) against Holly Hunter (Broadcast News), Meryl Streep (Ironweed), and Sally Kirkland (Anna).
- The Winners: Both Cher and Michael Douglas walked away with competitive Academy Awards that night, with Douglas taking home Best Actor for Wall Street.
- The Official Response: On Nov. 2, a representative for Cher addressed the renewed chatter directly, telling Entertainment Weekly that “Cher adores Michael Douglas.”
Decades of Academy Snubs and Historic Context
The resurrected debate touches on a long-running narrative in Hollywood regarding Close’s history with the Academy. Going into the 1988 ceremony, Close was already a four-time Oscar nominee, having earned three supporting nods for The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, and The Natural, alongside her first lead nomination for Fatal Attraction. Close would go on to receive four additional nominations for Dangerous Liaisons, Albert Nobbs, The Wife, and Hillbilly Elegy.
Cher’s victory for the romantic comedy Moonstruck marked her second career Oscar nomination, following a Best Supporting Actress nod in 1984 for Silkwood. While Fatal Attraction walked away empty-handed despite six nominations, Moonstruck triumphed in three categories, including adapted screenplay and supporting actress for Olympia Dukakis.
Bridging the Past and Present in Modern Media
The viral clip quickly racked up over a million views online as social media users weighed in on Douglas’s candid critique. While some viewers agreed with his assessment of Close’s landmark thriller performance, the response from Cher’s camp effectively addressed any potential feud.
With Close preparing to receive her honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards, the discussion highlights how classic Hollywood races continue to capture attention.
and he's absolutely right. Fuck Moonstruck. https://t.co/zE7CSdNMDy
More on Michael Douglas
Cher responded after Michael Douglas shaded her 1988 Oscars victory for ‘Moonstruck,’ after Douglas took a dig at the pop icon for beating Glenn Close at the 60th Academy Awards. https://t.co/u83NDbPy34
Michael Douglas said Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) should've won the best actress Oscar over Cher (Moonstruck) in 1988. Cher responds via a rep: "Cher adores Michael Douglas."https://t.co/2muAYutiiz
Cher responds to Michael Douglas dissing her Oscar win for "Moonstruck," with a rep for the icon saying: "Cher adores Michael Douglas." Appearing alongside Glenn Close on a recent episode of “The Graham Norton Show,” Douglas noted that “she should have won [the Oscar] with… pic.twitter.com/eRmBhQ8KtI”
