Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’s meeting at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998 marked the beginning of their relationship, which has continued to blossom over decades. The Hollywood couple has maintained a strong, bond and raised their two children, Dylan and Carys.
Recently, Zeta-Jones opened up on the highs and lows of their relationship, especially their brief separation and comeback in 2013 and 2014, as well as how they have maintained their marriage.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Micheal Douglas had a brief break
In August 2013, Zeta-Jones and Douglas’ marriage suffered a significant setback as the couple publicly revealed their separation after almost 13 years of a blissful union. While appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Douglas candidly discussed the split and subsequent reunion.
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“It can’t be a one-way street, but I’m crazy about her. And yeah, I think every couple has their difficult times. The only problem is, as you well know, we’re all in the public eye, and it tends to get a little more exposed than most,” he told host Ellen DeGeneres. “We’re back stronger than ever.”
The secret to their lasting marriage
In an interview with The Telegraph, the actress reflected on the struggles in her marriage while drawing amusing parallels to her assortment of designer handbags. “It’s impossible for there not to be ups and downs if you live with the same person and wake up with them every day,” Zeta-Jones admitted. “I’ve been waking up to Mike for nearly 25 years. I love being married but it’s a crazy thing when you really think about it. ‘Will you marry me?’ ‘Sure!’ But then you think about the Chanel purse you spent a fortune on, and actually, I don’t really like it any more – I’ll put it up for resale.”
Zeta-Jones also expressed affection for her older spouse and emphasized that their age difference had never impacted their relationship. “We respect each other and I never really feel that he’s 25 years older than me,” she explained. “I remember people saying, ‘When you’re 50, he’s going to be 75.’ Well, that’s just maths.”