Douglas: Damon courageous to play Liberace's lover in film Michael Douglas in New York, Nov. 21, 2011. UPI /Laura Cavanaugh HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Michael Douglas, who plays Liberace in an upcoming movie, praised Matt Damon for having "the courage" to play the flamboyant pianist's gay lover. The two are starring in director Steven Soderbergh's HBO film, "Behind the Candelabra," along with Dan Aykroyd, Rob Lowe and Paul Reiser. Douglas will play the famed glamorous musician, and Damon his significantly younger lover, Scott Thorson. "I don't think I would have had the courage at that point in my career to take this on," Douglas said in praise of Damon. The two lead actors and Soderbergh said they took the story seriously despite the over-the-top nature of the subject matter, The Hollywood Reporter said Friday. "We take the relationship seriously," Soderbergh said. We weren't giggling about it. These were people's lives. We wanted to get it right," Damon said.