Catherine Zeta-Jones Reflects on Career Impact of East Coast Living
Catherine Zeta-Jones has openly pondered whether her decision to reside away from Hollywood's epicentre has been detrimental to her professional trajectory. The acclaimed actress, aged 56, who has been married to veteran actor Michael Douglas, 81, since the year 2000, recently shared candid insights into how life in New York City has shaped both her career and personal world.
A Different Social and Professional Sphere
"It's funny. I've lived on the East Coast and for many, many years with Michael, and it's interesting whether it's been detrimental to my career," she revealed in an interview with People magazine. "I never quite know, because I've never been in LA schmoozing."
The star of the popular Netflix series Wednesday explained that her friendship circles in New York diverge significantly from typical Hollywood networks. She noted that her connections are more frequently with individuals from the worlds of business, finance, and art rather than entertainment industry insiders.
"In fact, I spend more time with New York business people, Wall Street people, art people," Zeta-Jones elaborated. "Our friends and our people we bump into are different than I would be if I was in LA. And that's not detrimental to LA and people who live there at all; it's just I swing in a few different roundabouts here in the city."
Career Continues to Thrive with Multiple Projects
Despite her reflections, living in New York City does not appear to have hindered her professional momentum. The actress has three notable projects lined up for this year, demonstrating her ongoing relevance and demand in the industry. These include The Gallerist, further episodes of Wednesday, and the film Kill Jackie.
A Strong Marriage Built on Similarity and Independence
On a personal note, Zeta-Jones and Douglas recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, a milestone she attributes to their aligned perspectives and mutual respect. "Two celebrities together make 10. It's just the way it is. There's two versions of the story and there's two make-believes," she told The Sunday Times.
She emphasised the importance of ignoring external noise and maintaining independence within their relationship. "We don't listen to the crap that is written about us, that's the main thing. And we respect our space, we're independent spirits. We are very similar; we were born on the same day, 25 years apart. We're not afraid to be verbal, to express ourselves. I wear everything on my sleeve and so does he, which is good."
Embracing the Addams Family Dynamic
In her role as Morticia Addams in the hit Netflix series Wednesday, Zeta-Jones finds relatable family dynamics. She believes the Addams family is "absolutely grounded in truth" and not merely caricatures. "That's one of the wonderful things about the family dynamic within the show Wednesday is that we can all relate to that," she explained to TODAY.com.
The actress offered a nuanced view of Morticia's relationship with her daughter, Wednesday, played by Jenna Ortega. "There's a part of Morticia that wants Wednesday to be exactly how she is. She has all the outcast attributes and the abilities that are part of Morticia's world, but there's a defiance that Morticia never had that Wednesday has."
Praise for Co-Stars and Collaborative Spirit
Zeta-Jones heaped praise on her young co-star, Jenna Ortega, describing her as "amazing" for her dedication. She highlighted their preparation for a sword fight scene, noting Ortega's commitment despite a busy schedule. "She'd find time in her schedule, which is a much bigger schedule than mine, to come and rehearse with me, and then we worked it with the stunt coordinator, and it turned out really fabulous."
She also commended Luis Guzman, who portrays Gomez Addams, for his hard work in rehearsing their tango scenes. "We used to rehearse the four scenes outside, dodging the rain, sometimes in Ireland, in gravel to keep it every day, to keep it fresh," she shared, illustrating their collaborative and persistent approach to perfecting their performances.
