Entertainment

Another Hollywood Couple Bites the Dust

by Kate Ward

When they first coupled in 1999 — following Catherine Zeta-Jones' success in The Mask of Zorro and Entrapment — no one thought the actress' relationship with Michael Douglas would last. After all, he Basic Instinct actor was a full 25 years older than Zeta-Jones. But it seems that early celebrity relationship pundits were right — on Wednesday comes news that Zeta-Jones and Douglas are parting ways after 13 years of marriage.

That said, neither Zeta-Jones nor Douglas have moved towards official divorce — People reports there have been no efforts to make the split legal. According to the magazine, Zeta-Jones and Douglas might be merely "taking a break," according to a source.

The news of the split comes after tough times for both actors. Since 2011, Zeta-Jones has checked into treatment twice for bipolar disorder, and in 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer. (The actor is currently in remission.) And earlier this year, Douglas coped with the stress of a string of embarrassing press, after he told a reporter that HPV is to blame for the cancer, and that "It's a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer ... And if you have it, cunnilingus is also the best cure for it." (He clarified his comments later, saying that he was simply trying "to give a PSA announcement about HPV.)

Zeta Jones and Douglas — who met in 1999 through Danny DeVito and starred in 2000's Traffic together — have two children: 13-year-old Dylan, and 10-year-old Carys.

The Pop Culture Briefing You’ll Actually Read
From celeb drama to can’t-miss premieres, Bustle Daily delivers your essential pop culture fix every weekday. It’s the inside scoop on everything everyone will be talking about.
By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy