Sir Michael Caine has announced that he has officially retired from acting, and that his latest film, The Great Escaper, is his last… and, this time, he means it. “I keep saying I’m going to retire,” the 90-year-old said. “Well, I am now.”
The announcement arrives via a new interview with BBC Radio 4, which aired just a week after the debut of The Great Escaper itself. The film stars Caine as Bernard Jordan, a real-life World War II veteran who “escaped” from his nursing home in 2014 to attend the 70th anniversary of D-Day in France. After hitting theaters in the UK on October 6th, Caine’s performance has been praised… which, according to him, impacted his decision to finally ride off into the sunset.
“The only parts I’m liable to get now are 90-year-old men. Or maybe 85,” he joked, before explaining: “I’ve figured, I’ve had a picture where I’ve played the lead and it’s got incredible reviews… So I thought, I might as well leave with all this. I’ve got wonderful reviews. What am I going to do to beat this?
He added, “You don’t have leading men at 90, you’re going to have young handsome boys and girls.”
However, he does find value in older people being portrayed on screen: “With me, it’s not quite as diminishing as you think,” he explained. “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’s career has spanned several decades and genres. He became a household name in the 1960s starring in classic films like “Zulu” and “The Italian Job.” He has collaborated several times with Christopher Nolan, playing Alfred Pennyworth in the director’s “Batman” films and also appearing in “Inception” and “Interstellar,” among other Nolan titles. He’s been featured in comedies like “Alfie” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”
Caine has received several accolades throughout his career, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) and “Cider House Rules” (2002). Caine was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.
