Catherine Zeta-Jones has revealed that her marriage to Michael Douglas "wouldn't have lasted" if their situation were different. The Swansea-born actress, 57, has been married to the Hollywood icon for almost 26 years, and they share two children together.
Despite their 25-year age gap, the couple appear to be in it for the long haul. According to the Oscar-winning actress, who won her award for her role in Chicago, the secret is "working".
The secret to a lasting Hollywood marriage
Speaking to The Times, Catherine said: "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."
She added: "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."
The couple met at a film festival in France in 1998, introduced by Danny DeVito, and married just two years later. They share son Dylan Michael, 26, and daughter Carys Zeta, 23. The couple also share the same birthday, September 25, but were born 25 years apart.
A relationship with challenges
Their relationship has faced difficulties over the years. Michael was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, which he later claimed was caused by him performing oral sex. The following year, Catherine was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and checked herself into hospital. They separated briefly in 2013 but soon reunited.
The actress says she has no plans to return to Wales, where she has not lived permanently since her teenage years. Despite this, she still feels close to the country, though she admits she regrets speaking very little Welsh.
Career and Welsh roots
Catherine got her big break in The Darling Buds of May at age 21, opposite Sir David Jason and Pam Ferris. The BBC comedy drama led to Hollywood roles in The Mask of Zorro, Oceans Twelve, and High Fidelity.
She was born and raised in Swansea, growing up in the Treboeth and Sketty areas. She returns to her natural accent for the upcoming Amazon Prime series Kill Jackie, where she plays a wealthy art dealer with a secret past. Catherine said: "People were, like, 'Thank God she's using her Welsh accent.' I think the response was that it's time for me to be Welsh."
The mum-of-two largely lives in New York with her husband. The family spent 10 years in Bermuda to escape press intrusion after their children were born. Catherine appears on The Graham Norton Show tonight (Friday, October 2) from 10.40pm to 11.30pm, alongside guests Sylvester Stallone and Andrew Garfield.
