Don Johnson was one of the biggest icons of the ’80s thanks to his role on “Miami Vice,” but that fame came with a downside.
“For a long time, I couldn’t even go anywhere,” Johnson told People magazine.
He continued, “I had to isolate [myself]. The [women] know where you are. We had security 24/7.”
The intense fandom reminded him of what Elvis Presley must have gone through at the height of his fame.
“One day, I reflected on Elvis and thought, ‘Isn’t this kind of the way Elvis lived and died?’ Not that I’m comparing myself to Elvis, but in terms of him not being able to have a personal life. So I learned to manage it and vowed not to let it imprison me,” Johnson said.
“Miami Vice” celebrated its 40th anniversary this month. The show launched Johnson to super stardom as Sonny Crockett.
But with the fame and fans, Johnson worried about moving beyond the role.
“My goal then was to not be Sonny Crockett forever,” he said. “I had seen the peril of the actors who were too identifiable with their character. I felt like I had to separate myself from Sonny so people could eventually see me as other characters.”
The 74-year-old is happy to still be working, after his early struggles in his career, and is especially grateful for “Miami Vice.”
“It’s the 40th anniversary of ‘Miami Vice’ this year, and hey, I’m still here,” he told the outlet.
Johnson also said he’s better at balancing his fame with his personal life.
“Work-life balance is an interesting thing as an actor because movies eat your life. Television shows eat your life,” he said. “Luckily, I’m at a place where I can pick and choose roles, and sometimes I often prefer the supporting role because I still get joy out of what I do, but I don’t want to work those long hours and be away from my family.”
The “Nash Bridges” star added, “Fame is a condition. But it also goes away.”
That doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon, with Johnson’s latest film on Netflix, “Rebel Ridge,” pulling in millions of viewers, and a new series, “Doctor Odyssey” set to premiere Sept. 26 on Hulu.
“I’m still on the menu!” he joked with People.