At age 90, Sir Michael Caine has officially confirmed his retirement from acting, announcing the news in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today show.
The veteran British actor said: “I keep saying I’m going to retire. Well, I am now.” Caine had previously commented that his retirement was ‘imminent’ in an interview with The Telegraph last month, saying at the time he was “sort of” retired.
Caine reflected on role that are likely to be offered to him at his age: “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, 90-year-old men, maybe 85. And I thought, ‘Well, I might as well leave with all this — I’ve got wonderful reviews. What have I got to do to beat this?’ … You don’t have leading men at 90, you’re going to have young handsome boys and girls.”
Caine’s career has spanned several decade, first becoming a household name in the 1960s starring in classic films like “Zulu” and “The Italian Job.” Caine received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) and “Cider House Rules” (2002), and he was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.
Caine’s last on-screen role was in Oliver Parker’s “The Great Escaper,” a biographical film about World War II veteran Bernard Jordan, who breaks out of a care home to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of D-Day in 2014.
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