At the press conference for Michael Douglas’ upcoming biographical drama series Franklin, the conversation took an unexpected turn when Variety quizzed him on the significance of the show as he perceives it.
“The show was a great reminder for me about how fragile democracy is,” Douglas answered. “And I think that Ben would be highly, highly disappointed in the distortion of either a republic or democracy that the United States has become. I hope that this upcoming election will be a cathartic experience for the United States and turn the page onto a new chapter.”
One Cast Member Believes Franklin’s Story Isn’t Well Known
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin set sail from Philadelphia for France on October 26, 1776. After being named an agent of a diplomatic commission by the Continental Congress, he sought to secure a formal alliance and gain French support for American independence.
Noah Jupe, who plays Franklin’s grandson Temple, said he was intrigued by such a story, but figured it wasn’t very infamous among the general public.
“Everyone sort of knows about who Benjamin Franklin is,” he said. “I think we’ve all seen a $100 bill. [His] whole experience was so vital to the American Revolution but yet, at the same time, I don’t think many people know about it.”
Douglas, 79, made his feature film debut in 1966 with Cast a Giant Shadow and has been acting consistently ever since. However, he mainly rose to prominence for his 2016 role as Hank Pam in 2015’s Ant-Man, a role he reprised for Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Before Franklin, Douglas briefly appeared on Marvel’s What If…? as the voice of Hank Pym, then worked as an executive producer on Netflix’s Ratchet, starring Sarah Paulson.
In 1975, Douglas produced One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Golden Globe for Best Picture and BAFTA Award for Best Film.
