Catherine Zeta-Jones faced criticism after making a remark about a 12-year-old fan during an appearance on "Late Night With Seth Meyers." Viewers and social media users called the comment "creepy" and "inappropriate."
On the program last Friday, the 55-year-old Oscar-winning actress spoke about how her role as Morticia Addams on Netflix’s "Wednesday" introduced her to a "new kind of generation of fans." She described an encounter on a golf driving range in which "this really cute 12-year-old boy came up and asked for my autograph. He was, like, really cute. And then I went, 'Ha ha! When I’m 70, this cute little boy will be like, 33.'"
Host Seth Meyers followed up by asking whether Zeta-Jones's husband, Michael Douglas, could tell when she was "doing math" in her head. She replied, "Yeah, he usually thinks I’m wondering what club to pick. But I’m not. I’m going, 'Hmm. At that time, I’m sure it’ll be just fine.'" In the course of the exchange, the conversation touched on the couple’s age gap; Zeta-Jones noted that Douglas is about 25 years her senior.
The remarks drew prompt backlash online. A Reddit user wrote, "Thinking and speaking about a literal child in this manner is unacceptable and I am absolutely appalled that she thought this would be a cute story to share with the world. Girl, just stop. 🤮" Other social media comments called the anecdote "creepy," said it was disturbing to imagine such thoughts about a child, and suggested that the reaction would differ if the genders were reversed. One commenter wrote, "A reminder that women can be pedophiles too. No 'normal' person thinks that way. At all." Several users questioned why Meyers did not challenge the remark during the interview.
Page Six reported that representatives for Zeta-Jones had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Zeta-Jones, whose turn as Morticia on the Netflix series has increased her visibility with younger viewers, has been married to Douglas since 2000. The couple met in 1998 on the festival circuit. They have two children together, son Dylan, 25, and daughter Carys, 22. Douglas is also the father of an older son, Cameron, 46, from a previous marriage.
The exchange comes amid heightened sensitivity around public comments involving minors and age-gap relationships. Critics and social media users often scrutinize celebrity remarks for perceived impropriety, and late-night interview moments routinely prompt rapid online reaction.
Zeta-Jones's appearance on "Late Night With Seth Meyers" was one of several recent high-profile interviews during the promotional cycle for "Wednesday," which has extended the reach of actors associated with the series to younger demographics. The networked interview, a standard part of celebrity promotion, sparked a wider conversation about what is considered acceptable commentary about minors and about the responsibilities of hosts when such remarks arise on air.