Michael Douglas has claimed he heard angels singing when he almost drowned as a student
The 73-year-old actor - who is married to Catherine Zeta-Jones - was swimming in the ocean when he was studying at the University of California when he got into serious trouble in the water and almost died.
5 October 2017
Luckily, the Hollywood legend was rescued but says he saw a "white light" as he "faced death" and he could hear heavenly voices around him.
Speaking to the USA Today newspaper about the experience, he recalled: "I did hear angels singing, saw a white light and then a relaxation came over me as I faced death."
Douglas made the confession whilst discussing his latest movie 'Flatliners' - which follows on from the cult 1990 horror movie of the same name about a group of medical students who undertake clandestine experiments to produce near death experiences resulting in terrifying consequences for all.
Although he has had his own near-death experience, Douglas doesn't believe there is an after-life, as described by the world's main religions and instead believes the phenomenon he witnessed is a natural part of the process of dying.
He said: "I think we have a mechanism in our brain that takes over and makes it easier to accept the inevitable during the process of dying."
Douglas - who has beaten tongue cancer - produced the new remake, which stars Ellen Page, Nina Dobrev and Diego Luna, and sees Kiefer Sutherland reprise his role as Nelson Wright from the original film.
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