Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones' 25-year marriage is reportedly under strain as the couple navigates changing dynamics following their children's independence.
According to RadarOnline, sources said the 56-year-old actress has been spending increasing time in New York City's business and art circles, moving away from the Los Angeles scene where Douglas, 81, has longtime friends and activities. Insiders say this shift has created a growing distance between the couple.
"Michael is always super supportive of Catherine," said a source. "He loves to see her happy and would never try to guilt her into staying home with him, but that does not mean it's easy for him to see her living this very jam-packed life, while he gets pretty much left in the dust because he doesn't have the energy to keep up with the pace she wants to live."
The couple's children, son Dylan, 25, and daughter Carys, 22, have grown, leading the couple to become "empty nesters" who appear to be living more separate lives.
"For a guy used to being at the center of the action, it's very hard to adjust to this new, quieter chapter in his life," the source added. "Having his wife still running at full tilt makes it that much harder. He is feeling the distance — that's clear."
Douglas and Zeta-Jones have faced challenges before, including a brief separation in 2013. Douglas told The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2015 that despite difficult times, they were "back stronger than ever."
Still, insiders say the former split and their current lifestyles are complicating their relationship.
"If they were back on the West Coast, he'd have a lot more to do," said the source. "He still has a lot of his own friends in L.A., and he'd have way more opportunities to golf because the weather is so much better."
The couple has not publicly commented on reports about their marriage.
Meanwhile, as the BBC reported, the couple marked their 25th wedding anniversary on Nov. 18, last year celebrating a milestone that many once doubted.
The couple tied the knot at a star-studded ceremony at New York's Plaza Hotel on Nov. 18, 2000. Zeta-Jones shared an Instagram tribute to Douglas, saying, "I love you today as I did then," accompanied by photos chronicling their years together. Douglas responded with a heartfelt post calling her "my darling Catherine" and adding, "Who knew?"
The Welsh actress and the American actor first met in August 1998 at a film festival in France. Douglas famously opened with, "I want to be the father of your children." Zeta-Jones later recalled the moment with humor, admitting he was right.
Earlier this year, Zeta-Jones reflected on the longevity of their marriage, noting that many had predicted it wouldn't last.
Douglas frequently visits Wales, expressing admiration for its people and landscape, although he has described the weather as "brutal."
Zeta-Jones began her career on the London stage before gaining fame on television with The Darling Buds of May in the early 1990s. She achieved international acclaim in Hollywood and Broadway, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Chicago (2003) and a Tony Award for A Little Night Music. In 2010, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 2019, Douglas joined Zeta-Jones when she received the honorary freedom of the City and County of Swansea, an award she called "a real honour."
Originally published on Enstarz
