John Malkovich has finally spoken about his tumultuous relationship with Michelle Pfeiffer, over thirty years after their affair caused both of their marriages to unravel.

The 71-year-old actor was wed to the late Glenne Headly from 1982 until 1988, but their union ended following his affair with Michelle, his Dangerous Liaisons co-star, in 1988.

John has now admitted their brief relationship while filming cost him more than he ever expected as his marriage to Glenne began unravelling at home.

In the Oscar-winning film, he portrayed the devious seducer Vicomte de Valmont, while Michelle played Madame de Tourvel, the virtuous character taken in by his deceitful allure.

Their chemistry, which transfixed audiences, also spilled into real life.

Speaking on the Fashion Neurosis podcast on Wednesday, John said: ‘It’s not something I’ve ever really talked about.

‘Put it in this way, in the work I do, you make emotional bonds with people very quickly. 

‘That’s part of the work. Very rarely, those bonds extend beyond the work. 

‘For me, she was someone I valued greatly as a colleague, was great fun and moving and with me, incredibly fair. And I certainly wasn’t.’

Michelle, who was married at the time to the actor Peter Horton, has never publicly addressed the affair. 

However, speculation has swirled for decades – fuelled by the film’s director Stephen Frears’ remark in 2003 that reality and fiction ‘intersected’ during filming.

In his candid admission, John suggested that what began as a deep friendship crossed a line from which there was no return.

‘I think I’ve learned over the course of my life that a great colleague is actually rarer than anything,’ he said. 

‘And when that relationship becomes more than collegial or more than a friendship – even a profound friendship – then at least in my experience, and it might be my particular psychology or stupidity or ineptness or all of the above… you lose a great colleague.’

The Oscar winner, also known for films such as Con Air and Burn After Reading, went on to draw a contrast with his decades-long collaboration with Lithuanian actress Ingeborga Dapkunaite, with whom he has worked since the early 1990s.

‘Ingeborga and I are still, 33 years now, working together and have remained great friends and colleagues because there is a line we never crossed,’ he said. 

‘That’s what I’ve learned – that when a thing like that happens, it probably, might be, not retrievable.’

Daily Mail has contacted Michelle’s representative for comment. 

John’s six-year marriage to Glenne ended the year the film came out – after which she married musician Byron McCulloch. 

In 2017, she died of complications from a pulmonary embolism, aged 62.

John went on to find love with Italian production designer Nicoletta Peyran, who remains his partner today. 

The couple share two children.

Following their affair, Michelle split from Peter, who she had been married to since 1981. 

They got divorced two years later – in 1990 – and she later married the TV producer David E. Kelley in 1993. The couple have two children together.

Until now, John has always deflected questions about their affair – once brushing off the subject by saying: ‘It’s hard to believe Michelle Pfeiffer ever said hello to me.’