Catherine Zeta-Jones, 56, has attributed the longevity of her 26-year marriage to Michael Douglas, 81, to the couple maintaining separate careers and prioritizing time apart. The actress suggested that if both had stopped working, their relationship might not have lasted.
"Michael is, like, 'Do that job, that's amazing.' Then he's able to fly in and see me," Zeta-Jones told The Sunday Times Culture. "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, who have two children, Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23, met nearly three decades ago. Their marriage has faced challenges, including a brief separation in 2013 during a period when Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer and Zeta-Jones with bipolar II disorder. They have since reconciled.
Douglas stepped back from acting in 2022 after nearly 60 years in the industry, stating he would only return for something "special." Zeta-Jones, however, has continued to work consistently, notably in her role as Morticia in the Netflix series "Wednesday." Her upcoming project is the Prime Video series "Kill Jackie," where she will use her natural Welsh accent for the first time in years to portray a former cocaine queenpin.
When not working, the couple resides in New York. They previously lived in Bermuda for a decade while their children were attending school.
Their children, Dylan and Carys, are now pursuing acting careers after graduating from college. Zeta-Jones commented on the challenges faced by her children, particularly the scrutiny associated with being children of famous parents. "This horrific phrase nepo baby is horrible because these kids didn't ask to be born into this, they're finding their own way in life," she said. "But they love it, and they're good. Otherwise Michael and I would be the first to go, 'You know what? Maybe law school looks really good.'"
Carys, who graduated from Brown University, recently made her New York theater debut in Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull." A friend of Carys told the Daily Mail that her parents are "so proud" of her acting achievements. Carys herself has spoken about her passion for acting and performing arts post-college. Reflecting on her upbringing, she told Town & Country in 2018, "My parents do a really good job of reality-checking me and being like, 'Look around you. The life you have is extraordinary.'"
