Don Johnson was one of the biggest icons of the '80s thanks to his role in “Miami Vice,” but that fame also came with a downside.
“For a long time I couldn't go anywhere,” Johnson told People magazine.
He further said, “I had to stay in isolation [myself]. The [women] We know where you are. We had security 24 hours a day.”
This rabid fan base reminded him of what Elvis Presley had to endure at the height of his fame.
Johnson said, “One day, I thought about Elvis and thought, 'Is this the way Elvis lived and died?' Not that I'm comparing myself to Elvis, but because he didn't have a private life. So I learned to manage it and vowed not to let it get to me.”
“Miami Vice” celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. The show made Johnson a superstar as Sonny Crockett.
But fame and fans alike made Johnson anxious about moving on from the role.
“My goal at that point was to not be Sonny Crockett forever,” he said. “I saw the danger of actors becoming overly identified with their character. I felt I had to separate myself from Sonny so that people would eventually see me as other characters.”
The 74-year-old actor is happy to be working despite his early struggles in his career and is particularly grateful to “Miami Vice.”
“This year is the 40th anniversary of ‘Miami Vice,’ and I’m still here,” he told the outlet.
Johnson also said he finds a better balance between his fame and personal life.
“Work-life balance is an interesting thing as an actor because movies eat up your life. Television shows eat up your life,” he said. “Luckily, I'm in a place where I can choose the roles I want to do and sometimes I prefer to do supporting roles because I still get joy from my work, but I don't want to work long hours and be away from my family.”
“Fame is a condition. But it also goes away,” the “Nash Bridges” star said.
That doesn't seem likely to happen in the near future, as Johnson's latest film, “Rebel Ridge,” is drawing millions of viewers on Netflix, and a new series, “Doctor's Odyssey,” is set to premiere on Hulu on Sept. 26.
He joked to People, “I'm still on the menu!”
