Michael Douglas Says Catherine Zeta-Jones Tamed His Womanizing Ways

Michael Douglas, 82, has shared how his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, 57, influenced his once-notorious womanizing habits, asserting that she made him wait nine months before they became intimate. Douglas, who had a reputation as a Hollywood ladies' man with numerous affairs and on-set flings, described how his encounter with Zeta-Jones at the 1998 film festival in Deauville marked a turning point.

Douglas, who was in the midst of a divorce at the time, was drawn to Zeta-Jones after seeing her in "The Mask of Zorro." He was initially concerned about their 25-year age difference but learned she preferred older men. After a meeting that included Zeta-Jones's "Zorro" co-star Antonio Banderas and his wife Melanie Griffith, Douglas declared, "I’m going to be the father of your children." This prediction came true, but only after Zeta-Jones established boundaries.

Her approach involved a slow courtship. Douglas recalled that whenever he offered her a ride home, she would claim a family member or friend was available. He eventually realized she intended to take things slowly. Despite this, Douglas was committed to spending time with her, coordinating schedules and traveling to see her, yet no physical intimacy occurred for months. He stated he was willing to take as much time as needed, not wanting her to become "just another ex-girlfriend on my list."

In June 1999, Douglas invited Zeta-Jones to his Mallorca home. To demonstrate a more stable side of himself, he also invited his long-married friends Pat and Chris Riley to stay. This strategy proved successful, and the couple slept together for the first time during that visit. They agreed to make their relationship official, with Zeta-Jones stipulating monogamy. Douglas then ended relationships with five other women he had been seeing, informing each that he had met someone new.

The couple announced their relationship to their parents, and Douglas proposed on New Year's Eve 1999. They married in November 2000, shortly after the birth of their son, Dylan. Following the wedding, they agreed that only one parent would work at a time to maintain a sense of normalcy. Douglas opted to step back from his film career to support Zeta-Jones's burgeoning success, which led to her Oscar win for "Chicago."

Their son Dylan was born in 2000, and their daughter Carys followed a year later. The couple faced challenges, including Douglas's 2010 diagnosis of stage 4 tongue cancer, which he successfully overcame. In August 2013, they announced a temporary separation to evaluate their marriage, though they reconciled within a year. Douglas described their marriage as requiring significant effort but affirmed their strong bond.

Douglas's past relationships include a romance with actress Brenda Vaccaro, which ended after six years when she had an affair with actor Don Stroud. He later married Diandra Luker in 1977, with whom he has a son, Cameron. During their marriage, Douglas had affairs with screenwriter Diane Thomas and co-star Kathleen Turner, which he later admitted to in his memoir. He also had an affair with Jeanne Tripplehorn while filming "Basic Instinct." His marriage to Luker ended in 1995, after which he dated several women, including New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, before his relationship with Zeta-Jones.