Catherine Zeta-Jones And Michael Douglas' Marriage Embodies The Vow 'In Sickness And In Health'

Mar 11, 2022 by apost team

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas continue to have one of the longest-lasting marriages in Hollywood, given that they have been together for more than two decades. And although they have a significant age gap of 25 years, Zeta-Jones and Douglas have shown that age is nothing but a number between two adults who choose to love and cherish each other for life.

Beyond sharing their lives together, the couple also shares a birthday on Sept. 25. While Douglas is at the end of his 70s, and Zeta-Jones is just starting out in her 50s, the two are supportive of each other despite being at different times in their lives. Just like every couple, Zeta-Jones and Douglas have had a number of hardships and times when their relationship was not exactly rosy. In the recent past, the couple has dealt with grief, health scares and personal turmoils, but the two have stayed together as a strong unit. 

Moreover, despite the difficulties that come with constantly being in the spotlight, the couple seems to have made every effort to keep their relationship and family strong. This includes their decision to move away from the United States for more than a decade to give their children a chance to grow up in a more normal environment.

In November 2021, Zeta-Jones and Douglas also celebrated their 21st anniversary together. In the entertainment industry, this is quite a milestone. The couple has naturally been asked numerous times about what keeps their marriage so strong. In an April 2021 interview, Zeta-Jones opened up about the secret to their long and healthy marriage. And over the years, Douglas has also reflected on their decades-long relationship.

Zeta-Jones opened up in an Apr. 5, 2021 piece from The Wall Street Journal Magazine about the factors that keep the foundation of her marriage so strong with Douglas, and interestingly, it is simple enough: "First of all, we have a lot of fun together," she told the publication. Zeta-Jones also addressed the age gap between the two of them, which has often been the fodder for many tabloid stories over the years.

"My husband is 25 years older than me; that's not a secret. With any relationship, it wouldn't be normal if there weren't any ups and downs," Zeta-Jones added. "The constant is love and respect. We've never, ever lost our sense of humor, and we enjoy each other's company."

Douglas has his own thoughts about what makes a strong relationship.

"I think it's not taking the person closest to you for granted. Sometimes you make more of an effort with strangers ... than we do with the person closest to us. And I think we're very blessed to have a lot of mutual respect," Douglas told Access in 2019.

Douglas laid his eyes on his now-wife for the very first time in 1998 at the Deauville Film Festival in France after they were introduced to one another by mutual friends Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. According to the actor, the two might have had a rocky first encounter. Nevertheless, they made it work in the end.

"I probably made a big mistake," he said as per TODAY. "But I looked at her, and I said, 'I just want to tell you, I'm going to be the father of your children.' And she looked at me, and she said, 'I've heard a lot about you. … I guess it's all true! Good night.'"

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Despite their image as the ultimate Hollywood relationship goals, Zeta-Jones and Douglas have had their fair share of ups and downs during their relationship. In 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with tongue cancer. The actor then went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was eventually given the clear from his doctors a year later.

"When Michael was diagnosed with cancer, I really thought, 'You are going to have to wipe me off the floor,'" Zeta-Jones told Stella magazine at the time of her husband's diagnosis. "This happens to people all the time, but it's still a huge shock when the cards start to fall and you realize, 'My God, it really is happening to us.'"

"I thought I didn't have the tools to cope," she added. "But it's amazing where the strength comes from—from family and friends, from strangers supporting us."

Zeta-Jones also discussed the family's move to Bermuda in the same interview:

"My husband and I spend a lot of time together because, unlike so many couples, we've never had a 9-to-5 job where it's consistent...So we've had in our relationship huge amounts of time where we've been just us. We lived on the island of Bermuda for 12 years bringing up our kids. We respect each other's space, and our humor is just long-lasting," she said. 

Through the years, Douglas and Zeta-Jones have made it a point to celebrate each other as well. At the 73rd Emmy Awards earlier this September, Zeta-Jones praised her husband on the red carpet for his lead actor in a comedy nomination.

 "I always like to see my husband nominated on the red carpet, I've become a very proud wife," Zeta-Jones said, according to People.

What do you think the secret to a long-lasting relationship is? Do you have your own tips to keep a marriage healthy? Tell us about them, and be sure to let your friends know about Catherine Zeta-Jones' secret for a strong partnership.