Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas shared an emotional birthday tribute to his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones on Friday, saying he had never experienced falling in love on screen until he saw the actress.
The couple, who share the same birthday, received a personal tribute from Douglas on Instagram, where he posted a picture with Catherine and shared an excerpt from his memoir, One Helluva Ride.
“I had never fallen in love on a movie screen before. Until I saw Catherine. She was magic, in a way that went beyond beauty,” Douglas wrote.
Reflecting on their relationship, the actor said he was immediately convinced that Catherine was the person he was meant to be with.
“And I was certain, as much as I had ever been about anything, that she was the one. It’s the kind of moment that only comes around once in your life, if you’re lucky. The one time that you know, without any doubt in your mind, that you’re meant to be with someone,” he wrote.
Douglas concluded the tribute by wishing Catherine a happy birthday and declaring his enduring love for her.
“Happy Birthday Catherine! I love you always and forever,” he wrote, sharing the excerpt from his memoir.
Catherine responded to the post in the comments, writing, “Thank you darling. Thank you. Happy Birthday to you too, my love”.
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones married in 2000 and have two children, Dylan, 24, and Carys, 21.
The couple first met at the Deauville American Film Festival in France in August 1998 after being introduced by actor Danny DeVito. They became engaged on December 31, 1999, and married at The Plaza Hotel in New York City on November 18, 2000, after Douglas’s divorce was finalised.
The ceremony was reported to have cost an estimated $2 million.
Before marrying Catherine, Douglas was married to Diandra Luker, with whom he has a son, Cameron, born in 1978. Diandra filed for divorce in 1995, and the settlement reportedly included $45 million.