He's a legendary, Oscar-winning actor with a huge movie coming out next month and a young, beautiful wife.

But despite all the parts he's played, Michael Douglas' next role will be his toughest.

Douglas, 65, will soon undergo eight weeks of chemotherapy and radiation following the discovery of a tumor in his throat, People magazine reports.

SLIDESHOW: See celebrity cancer survivors.

The actor's spokesperson told People that doctors expect him to "make a full recovery" — and the actor himself put a brave face on his diagnosis.

"I am very optimistic," he said in a statement.

News of the tumor comes just as Douglas was preparing to promote his much-anticipated "Wall Street" sequel (he won the Oscar for his iconic portrayal of Gordon Gekko in 1987's "Wall Street").

Instead, he will fight to stay alive for his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their two young children, Dylan, 10 and Carys, 7, as well as his son Cameron, 31, from his previous marriage.

Perhaps Douglas will draw inspiration from Showtime's new series "The Big C," which takes a comedic approach to cancer.

Or, maybe he'll look to a fellow celebrities like Christina Applegate and Lance Armstrong, who also found the courage to bravely battle the disease in the public eye.

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