The story of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas proves that love is ageless

When we embark on the search for a special person who makes us feel like “butterflies in our stomach” and makes us fall in love day after day, we usually have some “requirements” that we hope to meet. Sometimes one of them is age, which for many is an important factor and for others it is not a problem. In the case of actors Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, this was never significant, as they are 25 years apart and are one of the most stable couples in Hollywood.

Despite the trials, their love story has been going strong for 20 years, and the awesome.club wants to tell how they became the best example that age difference is not an impediment to love.

Catherine Zeta-Jones was born on September 25, 1969 and began her career at just 15 years old. She became popular in her home country, United Kingdom, in 1990 on the television show The Darling Buds of May. But the world knew her name in 1998, after her performance in A Máscara do Zorro, alongside Antonio Banderas. The success of this film not only consecrated her as an actress: at an event where she promoted the feature, she also met the person who would be the love of her life, actor Michael Douglas.

Interestingly, he was also born on September 25, but 25 years earlier. Son of renowned actor Kirk Douglas, he spent his childhood between film sets, visiting his father on his school holidays. He lived with his mother as his parents were separated. That’s how he began to love cinema and chose acting as a profession, despite his father’s denial. He debuted in 1966 and, years later, created his film production company, Big Stick Productions.

In 1997, the actress’ life took a turn. She moved to the United States with the intention of immersing herself in Hollywood and, from audition to audition, landed the role of Elena in the masked swordsman movie.

But not only did she “touch the sky” with her hands professionally, but so did her future husband, who was nearby. Douglas was already a heavyweight in the industry and wanted to meet her after seeing her in this film, although she believed it was for work reasons: “I was in ‘work mode’ and I was going to a film festival, because that’s when that contacts are established and often film contracts are established, people introduce themselves and things like that. I thought he would like to meet me for some production and I thought, ‘Oh my God, he wants to go out with me’. But a few hours later, he told me that he wanted to be the father of my children. So I deduced that it wasn’t about work,” she declared in an interview.

Although she wasn’t too convinced by her proposal, Douglas began to court her and they became friends over the phone, as their busy schedules didn’t allow them to be in the same cities. However, the friendship persisted, and later love was born.

They said “yes, I do” in November 2000, at a grand wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York, where they not only celebrated and sealed their love forever, but also started their family, as three months earlier she had given birth to her son. first child, Dylan. The little one joined the family made up of the two of them and Cameron, Douglas’ eldest son, the result of a previous marriage. Years later, in 2003, the family portrait was completed with the arrival of their second daughter, Carys.

But in the best stories there is always a moment of conflict, and sadly, this one is no exception. His happiness was interrupted when, in 2010, the actor was diagnosed with throat cancer and, luckily, he managed to overcome the disease. But the stress of the whole situation generated a bipolar disorder in the actress. Therefore, she had to be admitted to a mental health center for treatment.

These turbulent years were challenging for both of them, so they decided to separate for a while for the purpose of evaluating and improving their marriage.

But love overcomes any obstacle, and their separation was just an impulse that made them stronger, as they bet again on love: “It was work for both of them . Now we are more mature and wiser”, said the actor, about the recomposition of the marriage. She also said that they live in a very open relationship and that transparency is a very important factor in her family. “We share everything around the table. I believe that this way the climate improves and everyone knows what is happening,” she commented.

Perhaps this is one of the secrets to keep both the relationship and the family going, whose children are already young and adults, and the oldest of all has already given them two grandchildren.

Last year, they celebrated 20 years together, and she admitted that the older she gets, the more alike they become, as she feels the weight of the 25 years separating them becomes less and less.

Although they are two and a half decades apart, this has never been an issue: “Historically, older men and younger women have always been related. But all of a sudden you get to a generation where it turns into something weird. When my mother spoke to me about men and things in life, in fact, she never questioned age. And it’s really fun, because Michael and my parents have the same life span, and when they see us together, they never question that there’s a 25-year gap.” She also added that her husband never made her feel that age difference that separates them.

Their Instagram accounts are responsible for showing us their wonderful relationship through the posts they dedicate to each other, such as their shared birthday, special dates and important events in their lives. His family continues to grow and his love is as strong as it was in the beginning. A faithful example that after the worst storms the sun always rises, and that age is just a number when there is affection and understanding.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for a couple many years apart? What are the characteristics that your “ideal person” should have, even if they are older or younger? Leave your comment!