Overview

• Douglas opened his Taormina Film Festival masterclass by expressing shame for America’s contribution to global chaos and apologizing to allies including Canada, Mexico and NATO members
• He accused President Trump of turning immigration into political fuel by portraying migrants as criminals and rapists to rally his base
• The actor warned that this era is the worst he’s witnessed since 1944, citing a marked rise in wars and national defense budgets
• Douglas called the 2024 election the greatest disappointment of his life and criticized Trump’s use of executive power to govern without Congress
• While receiving the Taormina Excellence Achievement Award, he reflected on forging his own Hollywood identity and described marrying Catherine Zeta-Jones as his biggest stroke of luck