Michael Caine’s representatives confirmed to Variety that the actor is not retiring, despite his recent statements that Lina Roessler’s “Best Sellers” may be his final picture.

Caine stated on a BBC podcast on Friday that his latest film, Best Sellers, may be his last, citing the pandemic, a persistent back condition, and a paucity of assignments for “a leading man that’s 88.” But, as he emphasized in a statement today, this isn’t entirely accurate.

“Regarding retirement,” said the Oscar-winner, “I’ve spent over 50 years getting up at 6:00 a.m. to make movies, and I’m not getting rid of my alarm clock!”

He also addressed the matter on Twitter, simply stating, “I haven’t retired and not a lot of people know that.”

During the interview, he stated, “Funnily enough, it’s turned out to be my last part, really. Because I haven’t worked for two years and I have a spine problem which affects my legs so I can’t walk very well. And I also wrote a couple of books which were published and were successful, so I’m now not an actor I’m a writer.” Which is lovely because as an actor, you have to get up at half past six in the morning and go to the studio. As a writer, you can start writing without leaving the bed!”

Caine’s remark about his “alarm clock” alluded to statements he made on BBC Radio’s “Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review” in which he stated that he preferred writing to acting since he didn’t “have to get up at half past 6 in the morning and go to the studio” with writing.

In an August interview with Variety, Caine discussed how he has managed to resist retiring throughout the years.

“I never did retire. I mean I’m 88 – people are not knocking at my door trying to give me a script. But occasionally there is a part,” he explained. “If I retired at 65, I would never have won an Academy Award [for ‘Cider House Rules,’] I would never have done a picture with Jack Nicholson, and I would not have done all those [Batman] movies with Christopher Nolan,” he remarked, reflecting on how he had planned to retire earlier.

Moreover, Deadline announced in February that Caine and Glenda Jackson will head the cast of Oliver Parker’s film The Great Escaper, based on a story by BAFTA nominee William Ivory (Made in Dagenham). At the European Film Market, the project was shopped.

It’s been a difficult year for everyone, and Caine bemoaned the impact of the epidemic on production of the show.

Caine began acting in 1950 and has appeared in over 130 films, earning two Academy Awards for his roles in “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “The Cider House Rules,” as well as receiving four further nominations.

Caine’s acting career spans several decades, beginning with his role in the 1964 historical drama “Zulu.” He’s also appeared in a number of films, including “Alfie,” “The Italian Job,” “Get Carter,” “The Man Who Would Be King,” and “King of Thieves.”

According to People, the actor has also won three Golden Globes.

The actor’s most recent part is that of a grumpy author in the aforementioned “Best Sellers,” which was released in September, and his performance as Alfred in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy with Christian Bale brought him to a whole new generation.

His other recent film roles were in “Tenet” and “Twist.”