Michael Caine Announces Retirement from Acting Following his Role in The Great Escaper

Sir Michael Caine has officially announced his retirement from acting after the release of his latest film, "The Great Escaper." The 90-year-old screen legend stars alongside Glenda Jackson in the movie, who sadly passed away in June, a few months before its release. Although Sir Michael has previously mentioned his intention to retire, he has often been enticed back into acting. However, during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sir Michael confirmed that he is now indeed retiring from acting. He stated that after receiving incredible reviews for his recent leading role, he wondered how he could ever top that experience. "The Great Escaper" tells the story of Bernie Jordan, a World War Two veteran who made headlines in 2014 when he escaped from his care home to attend the D-Day anniversary celebrations in France. The film received positive reviews, with Sir Michael's performance being described as "gruffly heart-breaking" and played with "complete dignity." The likelihood of receiving fewer roles in old age ultimately influenced Sir Michael's decision to retire. He humorously remarked that he would only be offered parts playing 90-year-old men (or maybe 85) but not as the lead. He acknowledged that leading roles are given to young and attractive actors rather than older individuals. Therefore, he believed it was the right time to retire. Sir Michael recounted how he rejected his last film multiple times before finally accepting it, claiming he had already considered himself retired. He also shared an anecdote about turning down a role because it was too small, realizing that he would rather retire than take such minor parts. Sir Michael and Glenda Jackson previously worked together on the 1975 film "The Romantic Englishwoman," but due to their differing political beliefs, they did not socialize outside of work. Sir Michael, however, mentioned that he voted for former Labour prime minister Tony Blair since he believed Blair could make positive changes for the working class. In addition to retiring from acting, Sir Michael is set to release a thriller novel titled "Deadly Game" next month. Despite his retirement, Sir Michael emphasized that he continues to seize every moment, even at 90 years old.