Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones: A Timeline of Their Longtime Romance

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Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones: A Timeline of Their Longtime Romance

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are the definition of “power couple.” "I had been told Michael Douglas wanted to meet me,” Zeta-Jones told Larry King in 2001 of the pair's 1998 introduction. “I was a little nervous because I didn't quite know what he wanted to meet me about." Douglas, meanwhile, knew immediately that the duo would have a future together — but worried that a cheesy pickup line might have ruined his chances. "I said to her after about half an hour [of hanging out], 'You know, I'm going to be the father of your children,’” he revealed during a 2016 appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. “It sounded good, and she said, 'You know, I've heard a lot about you and I've seen a lot about you, and I think it's time I say goodnight.'" To correct his mistake, he sent her flowers and an apology, which worked as Douglas proposed to his love in 1999 and they said “I do” nearly one year later. They are the parents of a son, Dylan, and daughter, Carys. Scroll down for a look back at Douglas and Zeta-Jones’ relationship through the years:

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August 1998

The longtime loves first met at the Deauville Film Festival in France following an introduction from their mutual friends, then-couple Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2016, Douglas recalled telling his now-wife 30 minutes after meeting her: “You know, I’m going to be the father of your children.”

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November 1998

The War of Roses actor confirmed that the Mask of Zorro actress was expecting their first child together.

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December 1999

The Fatal Attraction actor proposed to the Ocean’s Twelve star at his home in Aspen on New Year’s Eve.

Credit: Courtesy of Michael Douglas/Instagram

August 2000

Douglas and Zeta-Jones welcomed their first child, Dylan. In August 2019, the Ant-Man actor posted a rare photo of the two to Instagram when celebrating his son’s 19th birthday. He noted how “proud” he was of the Brown University student.

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November 2000

The acting duo wed at the Plaza Hotel in New York City nearly one year after getting engaged. Their wedding commenced after Douglas’ divorce from film producer Diandra Luker — with whom he shares his eldest son, Cameron — was finalized earlier that year. The duo’s nuptials, which reportedly cost $1.5 million, was attended by the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Whoopi Goldberg and Tom Hanks.

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December 2000

One month after tying the knot, the pair opted to skip venturing out on a honeymoon to spend time with their then 4-month-old son. In a quick update, Douglas told Reuters: “It doesn’t get any better than this. 2000 is not going to be a year that's forgotten.”

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December 2000

Douglas and Zeta-Jones’ movie, Traffic, hit theaters on December 27 of that year.

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March 2001

While attending a benefit for the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the pair were the recipients of The Courage Award.

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March 2003

Douglas stood by his wife’s side the night she was nominated — and won — the best supporting actress category for Chicago at the 75th Academy Awards.

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April 2003

Zeta-Jones gave birth to the couple’s second child, Carys. On growing up with famous parents, Carys told Town and Country in August 2018 that she “didn’t like the idea of having” her father’s name associated with her. She added that she felt she needed “to constantly prove” that she’s more than just Zeta-Jones and Douglas’ daughter.

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November 2005

Douglas and Zeta-Jones were honored together by The Christopher Reeve Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury.

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December 2006

The couple attended the 90th birthday party of Douglas’ father, Kirk, at L’Orangerie in Los Angeles.

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July 2009

Zeta-Jones supported Douglas when he was honored with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award.

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July 2009

Douglas’ son Cameron was arrested and charged for possession of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to five years in prison the following year for conspiracy to distribute drugs and heroin possession. In a March 2010 interview with Today, Douglas suggested he had been “a bad father.”

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August 2010

The Basic Instinct actor was diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma oral cancer, a.k.a. throat cancer, likely caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). “Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus,” he notably told The Guardian in 2013.

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January 2011

Douglas became a cancer survivor. “It’s weird, I know, but during the whole period of chemotherapy and radiation, it never crossed my mind that I could die,” he told French magazine Paris Match in 2019.

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April 2011

The Chicago actress sought treatment for bipolar II disorder. “I’m not the kind of person who likes to shout out my personal issues from the rooftops. But with my bipolar becoming public, I hope fellow sufferers will know it’s completely controllable,” she told InStyle in November 2012. “I hope I can help remove any stigma attached to it.”

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December 2011

Cameron’s sentence increased after he was caught selling prescription drugs to other prison mates.

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February 2013

Douglas and Zeta-Jones hit the red carpet at the 85th annual Academy Awards together. The couple were both presenters at the prestigious ceremony that year, and the Feud actress also put on a musical performance.

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April 2013

The duo made an appearance at the 40th Chaplin Awards honoring Barbara Streisand.

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April 2013

Zeta-Jones’ rep confirmed to Us that she “proactively” checked into treatment a second time to work through her bipolar disorder.

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August 2013

The Traffic costars announced their separation after 13 years of marriage. A rep for the pair told Us that the actors were “taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage.”

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April 2014

Back on! Douglas and Zeta-Jones reconciled their romance after an eight-month separation. The following year, the Disclosure actor said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that a relationship can be repaired “if both of you are willing” to work at it. “It can’t be a one-way street, but I’m crazy about her and yeah I think every couple has their difficult times,” he added.

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April 2014

The lovebirds made their first red carpet appearance since reconciling their relationship by attending The Library‘s opening night at the Public Theater in New York City.

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July 2015

The couple were joined by their children, Dylan and Carys, at the London premiere of Douglas’ film, Ant-Man.

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December 2017

Zeta-Jones told Entertainment Tonight the secret to her lasting marriage. “I think understanding, listening, being friends, all helps,” she said. “It’s been a great 17 years.”

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January 2018

Their marriage was tested once more when Douglas was accused by a former employee of sexual harassment. He denied the allegation, telling Deadline that it was “a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.” Zeta-Jones addressed the claim in November of that year. “My children and I were profoundly devastated by those allegations,” she told London’s The Times. “And I was torn about where my absolute morals lie.”

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February 2018

After Cameron concluded his seven-year stint behind bars in 2016, he credited his stepmom for helping him get through the tough time. He told the Daily Mail in 2018 that they “never gave up” on him, but he particularly noted how Zeta-Jones supported him along the way. “Catherine is a scrapper, she’s someone who came from Wales and clawed her way up to the very top through sheer talent and determination,” he said. “She never gives up on anything and she didn’t quit on me. The love of my family got me through my darkest days.”

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November 2018

The Entrapment actress supported her longtime love when he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He gave his wife a special shout-out during his emotional speech, saying: “I’m grateful for your support and your love and your patience. By the way, in another week we are celebrating our 18th anniversary so thank you for the best 18 years of my life, sweetheart!”

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January 2019

Zeta-Jones came along for the ride when her husband was nominated — and won — the Golden Globe for best actor in a television series, comedy or musical for his role in The Kominsky Method. After his win, he told reporters in the press room that he believes being “in the same industry” helps their relationship.

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September 2019

The couple attended the 71st Primetime Emmys, where Douglas was nominated for his role in The Kominsky Method.

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November 2019

For their 20th wedding anniversary, Zeta-Jones commemorated the occasion with an adorable throwback photo of the two. “Dancing in to our 20th year! Happy Anniversary my love,” she captioned the pic. “Such a beautiful letter from my father in law. I am touched:”

Douglas, for his part, posted a pic of himself kissing his wife on the cheek and wrote: “Happy Anniversary my  .”

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February 2020

Zeta-Jones honored her husband’s late father, Kirk Douglas, when he died at 103 years old. “To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life,” she wrote, sharing a pic of herself kissing Kirk’s cheek. “I miss you already. Sleep tight.”

In a second post, she shared a photo of the father-son pair and wrote: “Michael joins me in thanking you all for your overwhelming love, kind words and prayers since the passing of my father in law Kirk. My whole family appreciated every word. Love to you all  .”

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February 2020

The Wall Street actor shared a simple but sweet tribute for his love on Valentine’s Day. “Happy Valentine’s Day my darling  ,” he wrote.

Credit: Courtesy of Michael Douglas/Instagram

May 2020

Douglas honored Zeta-Jones on Mother’s Day with an adorable family photo. “Happy Mother’s Day to our favorite person,” he captioned the pic. “We love you @catherinezetajones #MothersDay.”

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

July 2020

Zeta-Jones posted a photo of Douglas as she congratulated him regarding the “good news” of his 2020 Emmys nomination for The Kominsky Method. “Yay!!!! So proud of you my love,” she added.

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September 2020

Zeta-Jones celebrated Douglas’ 2020 Emmys nomination despite not being able to attend the actual event due to COVID-19 safety precautions. “Alas, there will be no red carpet tonight but we’ll definitely be celebrating Michael’s nomination for The Kominsky Method! Break a leg @jimmykimmel and best of luck to all the nominees! #Emmys,” she wrote via Instagram, sharing a throwback from last year’s Emmy Awards.

Credit: Courtesy of Michael Douglas/Instagram

September 2020

The twosome sweetly honored each other on their joint birthday. For Zeta-Jones’ tribute, she honored not just her husband but other celebrities who shares their birthday, including Will Smith. “Happy Birthday Will, Heather, Serge, Barbara and OF COURSE the father of my children and my husband Michael  ,” she wrote, leading the post with a pic of her longtime love. “And to the ‘man of steel’ our dear friend Christopher, you are always in our hearts and never forgotten. Happy Birthday my fellow Libras! ..”

The Ant-Man actor shared a video montage filled with photos of the pair over the years. “Happy Birthday Catherine! I bet you are glad this year is over,” he captioned the video, which was set to “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day. “Here’s to the future   @catherinezetajones.”

Credit: Alex Berliner/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

November 2020

To celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary, Zeta-Jones shared a video montage that featured several photos of the couple over the years. “20 years ago today Michael and I were married!! What an amazing magical night that was,” she captioned the video post, which was set to James Brown’s 1964 “I Feel Good” track. “And 7304.85 days and nights on, I love you now as I did then. ( except for the point 85 bit) 😂  Thank you for the love and laughter. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ .”

Meanwhile, Douglas shared a two-minute audio clip to Instagram that detailed their decades-long love story. He captioned the sweet gesture, “Happy 20th Anniversary my darling! I love you always and forever @catherinezetajones ❤️ .”

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February 2021

“When there was more hair on Michael’s face than on my head. 😂,” the Intolerable Cruelty actress joked via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

January 2021

"'I can express no kinder sign of love, than this kind kiss’ William Shakespeare....... 💋," the Academy Award winner gushed via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

April 2021

Zeta-Jones celebrated Easter by sharing a photo via Instagram of her with “my bunny, oops sorry, my honey Michael.”

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

May 2021

The couple celebrated their daughter’s college graduation with a sweet family photo. “You rock and we love you,” the No Reservations actress wrote via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

July 2021

"When bad selfies happen to good people😂well maybe.. not so bad and not so good😂," Zeta-Jones captioned several adorable snaps with Douglas via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

September 2021

The Feud: Bette and Joan alum celebrated her and her husband’s joint birthday by putting a new twist on a classic song. “Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to him, Happy Birthday to my husband and his wife,” she pretended to sing via Instagram. “Happy Birthday to me, and me, and me, and Michael. 😂😂 .”

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September 2021

Zeta-Jones joined her husband at the 73rd annual Emmys, where he was nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actor In a Comedy Series category for his role on The Kominsky Method.

"I always like to see my husband nominated on the red carpet, I've become a very proud wife," the actress told E! News with Douglas by her side.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

October 2021

Zeta-Jones shared a throwback video of her getting down on the dancefloor with Douglas and their kids. “Really in need of some ‘Boogie Nights’ with my family,” she captioned the clip.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

March 2022

“‘Here’s lookin’ at you kid,” Zeta-Jonas captioned an Instagram snap with her husband.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

April 2022

The couple brought Carys on a trip to visit their son, Dylan, at college.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

August 2022

The family of four’s “vibe” includes group dance parties, which the actress shared via Instagram.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

September 2022

The twosome shared a kiss on September 25 while celebrating both of their birthdays.

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

November 2022

“Paris ... Amour … J’adore❤️,” the Wednesday actress captioned an Instagram snap with Douglas during a French getaway.

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February 2023

Douglas spoke out about the NSFW golf bet he agreed to with his wife years prior.

“The rules are I have to whip it out if I don’t hit it past the ladies’ tees, which I manage most of the time,” he shared in an interview with The Guardian. “But there have been times when we’re playing alone, and have to give her a little show because we are competitive. But only when I play with my wife.”

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August 2025

Zeta-Jones got candid about her life with Douglas in four homes, which includes two houses in New York, one in Canada and one in Spain. She noted that the pair enjoys spending time in Spain, where they can be more private.

“I know it sounds very jet set, and I love to surround myself with beauty but it’s not excessive, it’s very comfortable,” Zeta-Jones told The Times. “Two celebrities together make 10. It’s just the way it is. There’s two versions of the story and there’s two make-believes,” she said. “We don’t listen to the crap that is written about us, that’s the main thing. And we respect our space, we’re independent spirits.”

She continued, “We are very similar; we were born on the same day, 25 years apart. We’re not afraid to be verbal, to express ourselves. I wear everything on my sleeve and so does he, which is good.”

Credit: Courtesy of Catherine Zeta-Jones/Instagram

September 2026

“Happy Birthday darling!” Zeta-Jones wrote via Instagram on the couple’s special day. “A birthday kiss to my husband Michael, sharing this special day with you, is as special as the day itself. Love you😘😘.”