If there’s any doubt about whether true love exists, just look to the relationship between Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones .
The pair have weathered many storms together, including a 25-year age gap, a cancer diagnosis, and even a brief separation.
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But they’ve come out stronger each time. Here, let’s walk through their powerful romance.
1996: They meet for the first time
This was at the Deauville Film Festival in France. Their mutual friends, then-couple, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, were the ones to introduce them .
It was Douglas who had wanted to meet Catherine, but she later told Larry King she didn’t know why.
In an audio message on Instagram, Douglas shared that Catherine’s performance in *The Mask of Zorro* piqued his interest.
“I’m watching this movie, I go, ‘Wow, who is this girl, she’s incredible,'” Douglas recounted . From then on, he knew he had to meet her.
Things got off to a bit of a rocky start.
During their first meeting at dinner with Antonio and Melanie, Douglas said something very forward.
He told her , “You know, I’m going to be the father of your children.” While this later turned out to be true, she still left the dinner in a hurry.
New Year’s Eve 1999: Michael proposes
At the time, Catherine was pregnant with their first child. Since they were both sick with the flu, Zeta-Jones jokingly said “no” to the antique Fred Leighton 10-carat diamond ring, which is estimated to be worth $1 million.
2000: They get married
The couple went all-out with a huge Plaza wedding that reportedly cost $1.5 million . The event was swarming with A-listers, such as Jennifer Aniston, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tom Hanks.
Twenty years after their wedding, Catherie finally saw the wedding photos. “I looked at the proofs and that was it–I never made an album,” she told the Daily Mail .
2003: They welcome their second child, a daughter named Carys
By now, they already had their son , Dylan. He was born four months before their November 2000 wedding — good timing for the bride! Catherine was already a step-mom to Douglas’s son, Cameron, who he had with his ex-wife, Diandra Luker.
2010: Michael is diagnosed with throat cancer
The couple’s love was put to the test with Michael’s diagnosis.
“The hardest part is seeing his fatigue, because Michael is never tired…If there’s anything Michael has, it’s strength,” Zeta-Jones told People . Thankfully, Michael was eventually declared cancer-free.
2012: They briefly separate
Around this time, Catherine had gone public with her bipolar disorder and had sought treatment. Douglas always remained hopeful for a reconciliation , and that happened only months later.
“I’m crazy about her…I think every couple has their difficult times. The only problem is, as you well know, we’re all in the public eye and it tends to get a little more exposed than most,” he told Ellen DeGeneres in 2015.
2020: They celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary
“Twenty years and counting! To celebrate the day, the couple shared sweet tributes with each other on social media.
“What an amazing magical night that was! And 7304.85 days and nights on, I love you now as I did then. ( except for the point 85 bit),” Catherine posted on Instagram. “Thank you for the love and laughter.”
Douglas shared a similar message to his wife on Instagram.
“Happy 20th Anniversary my darling!” he wrote. “I love you always and forever.” So sweet!
He also included an audio clip that detailed how they met. “I’m happy to say we made contact, and the rest is history,” Douglas said.
2021: Catherine shares the secret to their marriage
“First of all, we have a lot of fun together,” Zeta-Jones told WSJ Magazine .
“My husband is 25 years older than me; that’s not a secret…. The constant is love and respect. We’ve never, ever lost our sense of humor, and we enjoy each other’s company.”
Such a sweet couple!
