Michael Douglas has spoken candidly about his marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones, admitting that "marriage is a lot of work" as he reflected on their brief separation more than 10 years ago.
The couple, who first met at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998, married two years later. They share a 25-year age difference and remarkably the same birthday, September 25. Together they have two children, Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23. Michael is also father to Cameron, 48, from his previous marriage to Diandra Luker.
A brief split and a reunion
After their wedding, Michael and Catherine lived in Bermuda for several years while raising their children, before relocating to the United States and settling in New York.
The couple parted ways temporarily in 2013, three years after Michael's treatment for tongue cancer. At that time, Michael had said his cancer developed after contracting HPV through oral sex, which allegedly caused distress to his partner.
Discussing their reunion with The Sunday Times, Michael was asked how he managed to win her back.
He responded: "What, I won her back? It was mutual...You know we had our problems but I love her dearly and, 25 years, you know...marriage is a lot of work, you know. And so, you know, we're good. We're in good shape. It's all I can say."
Love at first sight and a lasting bond
Beyond interviews about their partnership, Michael also provides extensive detail about Catherine in his memoir One Helluva Ride, a volume in which he additionally recounts other romantic encounters from his past.
Describing his initial reaction upon seeing her, he wrote: "I had never fallen in love on a movie screen before. Until I saw Catherine...And I was certain, as much as I had ever been about anything, that she was the one."
Catherine has also shared her perspective on their nearly three-decade union. During a separate interview with The Times, she said one factor contributing to their marriage's longevity is that they have not been constantly at home together, instead allowing one another the freedom to pursue separate projects independently.
Shared passions and date nights
Catherine explained: "Michael is, like, 'Go and do that job, that's amazing.' And then he's able to fly in and see me for a long weekend. Much better than waking up, going, 'What do you want for breakfast, honey?' I don't think our marriage would ever have lasted if it was like that."
Nevertheless, she revealed to AARP Movies for Grownups that when they are together, their preferred date involves attending a sporting event. Though the couple have been photographed at Formula 1 races, she told the publication they enjoy various other sports as well.
She revealed: "We're big sports fans. So if there's a game on, we're watching it. I mean, every sport. I only follow baseball when the World Series starts to get going. I get really into it."
