The legendary Michael Caine, whose career spans over seven decades, is retiring at the age of 90. Caine confirmed the news himself on BBC Radio 4’s Best of Today podcast on Saturday. “I keep saying I’m going to retire. Well, I am now,” he announced.”
“I’ve figured, I’ve had a picture where I’ve played the lead and it’s got incredible reviews. The only parts I’m likely to get now are old men,” he continued. “And I thought, well I might as well leave with all this — what have I got to do to beat this?”
Michael Caine is retiring, leaving behind a monumental career
In total, Caine would have two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award to his name – to just name some of his achievements. All of that would begin with one humble walk-on role in 1950’s Morning Departure. For a time, Caine performed under the stage name Michael White, and it was under this guise he experienced “really, really brutal” nine years in show business.
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1966 saw Caine secure international regard and decades later he would consider that year’s Alfie as his favorite in his career. He explained, “it made me a star in America as well, and it was my first nomination for an Academy Award.”
It was the first of many and Caine enjoyed unprecedented momentum, appearing in one film after another that was either a critical or financial success – or both – including Dressed to Kill, Escape to Victory, Jack the Ripper, and more.
Another chapter must close
Caine would go on to deliver a series of iconic performances in hits such as the Batman films, Miss Congeniality, and Kingsman. But Caine has also seen the effects of aging in Hollywood, which has in part influenced his decision regarding retiring.
“The only parts I’m liable to get now are 90-year-old men. Or maybe 85,” he joked, adding, “You don’t have leading men at 90, you’re going to have young, handsome boys and girls.” It’s a similar talking point he made in 2021, when he said, “There’s not exactly scripts pouring out with a leading man who’s 88.”
But, Caine wants everyone to know, he’s still got gumption in abundance! “With me, it’s not quite as diminishing as you think,” he noted. “I remember when I was young talking to old men of 90 and they weren’t a little bit like me. They were little tiny old men with humped shoulders…And I thought, I’m not like that and it’s changed.”
Caine connected with his passion for writing during the COVID-19 pandemic; he’s penned several biographies and a fiction book. This is exactly the craft he plans on focusing on now that he’s retired. He explained that, in lieu of writing, “There’ll be writing. I’ll write another book sometime because I so enjoyed writing.”
“The thing about movie-making is that you have to get up at 6.30 in the morning, learn your lines in the bloody car and then get there and work until 10 at night,” he added. “With writing you don’t have to get out of bed — all you need is pencil and paper and you can start!”
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