“Good Heavens”: Kathleen Turner Reacts to Michael Douglas’ Secret Romance Revelation After 40 Years

Kathleen Turner has reacted to Michael Douglas’ revelation that the two secretly had a romantic relationship while filming Romancing the Stone more than four decades ago.

Turner responded to the renewed attention surrounding the revelation with a characteristically understated message, telling PEOPLE: “Good heavens what a fuss about something 40 years ago! I love Michael and I look forward to enjoying the book.”

Douglas, 82, revealed the previously undisclosed romance in his forthcoming memoir, One Helluva Ride, which is scheduled for release on October 6.

According to an excerpt obtained by PEOPLE, Douglas said he and Turner, now 72, were immediately attracted to each other after meeting during the making of the 1984 adventure film. He wrote that their relationship developed while filming in Mexico, where they were working closely together under demanding conditions.

For decades, however, the two actors maintained that their powerful chemistry on screen never became a real-life romance.

Douglas now says that story was not true.

In his memoir, he explains that he and Turner chose to keep the relationship private to protect his family. At the time, Douglas was separated from his first wife, Diandra Luker, although they were still legally married. They shared a young son, Cameron.

Douglas recalls that the relationship eventually ended after Luker visited the Romancing the Stone set in Mexico with Cameron. According to his account, the encounter prompted Turner to reconsider the relationship because Douglas was still married. Douglas said he subsequently returned to his marriage, although he later concluded that the reconciliation did not restore the relationship to what it had been.

The revelation is particularly notable because Douglas and Turner continued working together after Romancing the Stone. They reunited for the 1985 sequel, The Jewel of the Nile, and later starred together in The War of the Roses in 1989. They also reunited onscreen decades later for The Kominsky Method.

Despite the revelation, Turner’s response suggests there is little bitterness between the former co-stars. Douglas has said they remained close over the years and that he sought Turner’s permission before including the story in his memoir.

The disclosure effectively closes a decades-long chapter surrounding one of Hollywood’s most talked-about on-screen partnerships. Their chemistry in Romancing the Stone was widely noticed at the time, but both actors maintained for years that nothing had happened between them.

Now, Douglas has offered his version of what happened behind the scenes, while Turner appears more amused than alarmed by the renewed attention.

“Good heavens,” she said.

One Helluva Ride arrives October 6.