Michael Douglas could have had a very different leading lady in the classic rom-com “Romancing the Stone” — if Debra Winger wasn’t so mouthy.
The “Terms of Endearment” star made quite the impression on Douglas before she lost the iconic ’80s role to Kathleen Turner.
Douglas, 77, recently claimed on Rob Lowe’s “Literally!” podcast that three-time Oscar nominee Winger bit his arm and made “break down in tears” during a pre-shoot dinner with director Robert Zemeckis.
The pair were “knocking back tequilas” and having a friendly chat so things seemed to be going well.
But after the meal had ended and they made their way out of the eatery, Winger allegedly leaned over and chomped at the “Fatal Attraction” star’s arm like a piece of steak.
“We walk out and, just as you would kind of go ‘Oh you!’ and give someone a little punch in the arm, she goes ‘Oh you!’ and she reaches over and she bites me on my arm. I’m like, ‘Aaargh!’ She bites me,” Douglas recalled to host Lowe, 58.
The “Wall Street” star added, “She’s joking and I’m looking at her and go, ‘I don’t know, I’m thinking this could be rough…’ she’s broken the skin!”
Some time later, Douglas was talking with Zemeckis at the studio and the incident with Winger came up in conversation.
“I break down in tears, ‘I can’t go into the jungle with her, she bit me, look! She bit me in the arm,’ ” Douglas said.
The Post has reached out to Winger’s camp for comment.
“Romancing the Stone” told the story of mercenary and a romance writer who fall in love while on a Indiana Jones-esque journey through the jungle together.
“Body Heat” stunner Turner, 67, was later suggested as Winger’s replacement and she went on to make cinematic history in the role. Douglas and Turner reunited for the 1985 sequel “The Jewel of the Nile.” She also won the Best Actress Golden Globe in 1985 for her portrayal of author Joan Wilder, and went on to score Oscar and Tony nods as well.
Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas in “Romancing the Stone,” 1984.©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett CollectionThe classic film duo later reunited as battling exes in 2021 for Netflix’s “The Kominsky Method.”
Meanwhile, Winger, 66, didn’t exactly lack for work — or legendary leading men — after missing out on the “Stone” role: The “Urban Cowboy” badass earned Oscar nods for “Officer and Gentleman” opposite Richard Gere, “Terms of Endearment” with Jack Nicholson and “Shadowlands” with Anthony Hopkins.
However, she did go on to miss out on another iconic role: She infamously fouled out of 1992’s “A League of Their Own” over Madonna’s “stunt” casting — and was replaced by Geena Davis in the leading role.
Debra Winger left “A League of Their Own” when Madonna was cast.WireImage/Columbia Pictures “Ant-Man” actor Douglas also recently reflected on the advice that his late father, Kirk Douglas, gave him as he was building his film career. The “Spartacus” star died in February 2020 at the age of 103.
Douglas spoke with the producers of the Fourth Annual Meihodo International Youth Visual Media Festival back in February and discussed the future of movies and his famous dad.
“Having a father who was a movie star and mother [Diana Douglas] as an actress, I was able to watch their insecurities and see that what was on the screen was not exactly what that person was like,” he said.
“Body Heat” stunner Turner, 67, went on to make cinematic history as Joan Wilder. Douglas and Turner reunited for the 1985 sequel “The Jewel of the Nile.” She also won the Best Actress Golden Globe in 1985 for her portrayal of author Joan Wilder, and went on to score Oscar and Tony nods as well.©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C
