Catherine Zeta-Jones knows how to live well. The actress recently opened up about her unique living arrangement with husband Michael Douglas, and it sounds pretty spectacular.
“I know it sounds very jet set,” Zeta-Jones, who is 55, told The Times in a piece published on Sunday, August 17. But she insists it’s not just about luxury. “I love to surround myself with beauty,” she added, “but it’s not excessive, it’s very comfortable.”
The power couple, with Michael Douglas now 80, splits their time across four different homes. They own two properties in New York. There’s also a place in Canada and another in Spain. That Spanish home holds a special appeal, offering a quiet escape from the constant buzz of Hollywood.
Living apart at times helps them manage the intense spotlight that comes with being two huge stars. “Two celebrities together make ten,” she explained. “It’s just like that.” Zeta-Jones added that there are always different versions of their story floating around, and sometimes those stories aren’t true. The main thing, she says, is that “we don’t listen to the nonsense written about us.” It also helps that they respect each other’s space. “We are independent spirits,” she shared.
Their connection runs deep, too. “We are very similar,” Zeta-Jones pointed out. They even share the same birthday, though they are 25 years apart in age. “We are not afraid to express ourselves, to say what we feel,” she noted. “I wear everything on my sleeve and so does he, which is good.”
Michael Douglas, who married Zeta-Jones in 2000, recently spoke about his own career future. Back in July, he shared that he doesn’t have any “real intention” of returning to acting full-time. Douglas and Zeta-Jones have two children together: son Dylan, 25, and daughter Carys, 22. Michael also has an older son, Cameron, 46, from his previous marriage to Diandra Luker.
Douglas explained his decision during a press conference at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. According to Variety, he said, “I haven’t worked since 2022 on purpose because I realized I had to stop.” He continued, “I had been working very hard for almost 60 years and I didn’t want to be one of those people who drop dead on set.”
While he’s stepping back, he isn’t completely closing the door. “I say I’m not retired because if something special came up, I would go back, but if not, no,” Douglas stated. He feels satisfied with his long career. He also mentioned a “small independent film” for which he’s trying to get a good script. However, he stressed that “for maintaining a good marriage,” he is “happy to play the role of husband of Zeta-Jones” in this new phase of his life.
Zeta-Jones seems happy for her husband as he embraces this quieter time. Still, she’s not ruling out a return to the screen for him. “Michael definitely has earned the opportunity to slow down,” she commented. But she offered a playful warning: “But never say never. He’s his father’s son and he loves to work; let’s say ‘retirement’ is a flexible concept.”