Jeanne Tripplehorn has been seen with her husband, actor Leland Orser, shortly after Michael Douglas revealed details of their past relationship in his new memoir. The actress, 63, was photographed in Los Angeles with Orser following the publication of Douglas' memoir One Helluva Ride, which was released on Tuesday, 6 October.
The book includes the Oscar-winning actor's account of a secret romance with Tripplehorn during the filming of Basic Instinct in 1992. The revelation has brought renewed attention to Tripplehorn's role in the erotic thriller, as well as the long-standing speculation surrounding Douglas and his co-star Sharon Stone.
Michael Douglas Reveals Basic Instinct Affair
Douglas, now 82, wrote that the relationship behind the scenes was not with Stone, despite speculation at the time. Instead, he revealed that he became romantically involved with Tripplehorn, who played police psychologist Dr Beth Garner in the 1992 film.
According to Douglas, the pair spent considerable time together while filming in San Francisco and made efforts to keep their relationship away from the rest of the cast and crew. The actor was married to his first wife, Diandra Luker, at the time. Douglas wrote that he had assured Tripplehorn that he and Luker had formally separated and were living separate lives.
He also admitted that he had strong feelings for Tripplehorn and considered the possibility of leaving his marriage for her. However, he ultimately decided not to move directly from his long marriage into another serious relationship. Their relationship lasted for the duration of production before they went their separate ways, Douglas wrote in the memoir.
Tripplehorn Gave Douglas Permission To Tell the Story
Although the relationship took place more than three decades ago, Douglas said he contacted Tripplehorn before including details of it in his memoir. Speaking to People, Douglas explained that he called the actress and asked for her permission to discuss their past relationship publicly. Tripplehorn agreed to the request. Douglas described Tripplehorn warmly in the book, praising her as an actress and reflecting positively on the time they spent together during the making of Basic Instinct.
The revelation also clears up one of the long-running stories surrounding the film. For years, the highly charged scenes between Douglas and Stone had contributed to speculation that the pair were romantically involved away from the cameras. Douglas has now said that the real relationship was with Tripplehorn instead.
Jeanne Tripplehorn and Leland Orser's Marriage
Tripplehorn later married actor Leland Orser in 2000. He is known for his film and television work, including ER, Taken and Ray Donovan. The couple have been together for more than two decades and share an adult son.
The couple's recent appearance comes as renewed public interest surrounds Tripplehorn because of Douglas' memoir. There has been no indication from Tripplehorn that her current marriage has been affected by the revelations about her relationship with Douglas, which occurred years before she married Orser.
The Basic Instinct Connection
Released in 1992, Basic Instinct became one of the defining erotic thrillers of its era. Douglas starred as San Francisco homicide detective Nick Curran, while Stone played Catherine Tramell, a wealthy crime novelist who becomes the focus of his investigation.
Tripplehorn played Dr Beth Garner, a police psychologist and former romantic partner of Douglas' character. The film's provocative scenes and the chemistry between Douglas and Stone generated considerable attention at the time. Douglas' memoir now offers a different perspective on what happened behind the scenes.
The revelation about Tripplehorn is one of several previously private relationships discussed in One Helluva Ride. Douglas also writes about a relationship with Kathleen Turner during the filming of Romancing the Stone.
The story belongs to a much earlier chapter of Tripplehorn's life. She has continued her film and television career while maintaining her family life with Orser. Douglas' memoir has brought that chapter back into the spotlight, more than 30 years after they worked together on Basic Instinct.
