When Kirk Douglas passed away on Feb. 5, 2020, at the age of 103,
he left behind a lasting legacy that will be remembered by fans of his popular films and
admirers of his good deeds. In addition to being a star of the big screen, the highly-respected
actor was also a devoted family man who will be missed by those who were closest to him.
The Hollywood legend was the father of four sons,
Joel, Peter, and Eric, who sadly passed away in 2004, as well as his most famous offspring,
Michael Douglas. Kirk was also the grandfather of Michael's children, including Cameron Douglas.
Cameron is the son of Michael and his first wife, Diandra Luker.
And while he may not be the industry icon that his father is and his grandfather was,
the younger Douglas does have something in common with his famous family members:
their looks. While each man has his own particular characteristics
and unique style, you'll be surprised by the ways Cameron takes after his beloved grandpa.
Cameron Douglas has followed a very different path than the one that his father and grandfather
walked before him. Like his famous family members, Cameron is also an actor. However,
he's dealt with serious drug problems that landed him in prison for seven years.
"I was just gonna take it as far as I could take it and come what may."
He was ultimately released in 2016. During his time behind bars,
Douglas transformed himself by lifting weights and getting prison tattoos,
according to the New York Post. By the time he got out, the Los Angeles Times reported
that Douglas was a changed man and, quote, "a ripped and tatted version of Kirk Douglas."
It's obvious that the two men shared certain features, like their cheeky smile and dominant
chin. However, Cameron's newer bulked-up frame is now covered with ink. While plenty of other images
fill up his arms, chest, and abdomen, it's hard to miss the two faces on his ribcage. One portrait
is of Michael Douglas and the other is Kirk Douglas. Those tributes are definitely fitting
as the younger man adores his father and had a very special relationship with his grandfather.
Despite the fact that Cameron Douglas struggled with drugs, his grandfather never gave up on him.
In fact, Kirk Douglas was always willing to support his grandson — even in ways that
you might not expect. Following Kirk's' death in February 2020,
Cameron opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about a time when he was younger and DJing in New York.
Even though he didn't go on until midnight, he revealed that it didn't stop Kirk and his wife,
Anne, from turning up to support him. The pair would usually show up after
midnight. As Cameron recalled in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter,
"I went over to them and couldn't really even talk because the music was so loud,
but that's just what they did. They always showed up — for everyone in
the family. He was always there, always supportive and he believed in me [...]"
More recently, Kirk wanted Cameron to know that he was thrilled that
his grandson had gotten his life back on track. Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter:
"He said to me, not that long ago,
'Cameron, I'm so happy to see that you're finally functioning [...] That's this kind
of credo among the members of our family — to be 'functioning' — and I know that made him proud."
Kirk Douglas wasn't just a loving father and grandfather, he was also an adoring
great-grandfather. On Dec. 18, 2017, Cameron Douglas welcomed a baby girl into the world,
Lua Izzy Douglas, with his girlfriend, actress Viviane Thibes. Lua was named after the elder
Douglas, who was known as Izzy, so she was bound to have a bond with her great-grandfather.
And, indeed, Kirk and Lua formed a special relationship during the final years of the
icon's life. Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter that he had moved to a place that was just
15 minutes from where his grandfather was living, which gave him the chance
to spend a great deal of time with him while also taking Lua over on weekends.
As Cameron recalled,
"Just watching the bond between my daughter and grandfather was extremely
special [...] He would light up every time she was around. When she was in the same room,
all she wanted to do was either be in his lap or be the focus of his attention."
Although Kirk has now passed, Cameron is determined to keep his memory alive so
that he'll always be a part of Lua's life. As his daughter gets older, he plans on reminding Lua of
her special connection with her great-grandfather by showing photos of the two of them together.
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