Divorce rumours for this Hollywood couple.
Catherine Zeta-jones has taken her first big steps towards an independent future from husband Michael Douglas, with sources believing her move all but confirms an epic $500m divorce is on the horizon.
“Their marriage is effectively over,” reveals a long-time friend, who adds they have been living separate lives “for years now”.
The Chicago actress announced last week that she’s re-launching her business Casa Zeta-jones. While Catherine already designs bed linen under this name, she decided to expand her offerings, and will sell items such as vegan shoes and traditional Welsh love spoons.
Inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, friends say it’s a brilliant plan because it gives her something to focus on should the divorce goes through. “She’s lonely as hell,” says the friend.
Indeed, with the couple’s children Dylan, 19, and Carys, 17, grown and focused on their own lives, Catherine is finding “there’s not much in common with Michael”, continues the source. “Things got much worse after [Michael’s father] Kirk died [aged in February and then lockdown happened. She’s been completely shut out from Michael’s world. Not even the puppy she bought him helped. They’re like ships passing in the night and with Kirk gone, divorce is back on the table.”
In 2013, Catherine, 50, and Michael, 75, came close to pulling the plug due to a string of issues, including her bipolar diagnosis, his cancer diagnosis and his son
Cameron’s incarceration for drug possession.
“They pulled through but mostly because of Kirk and Catherine. She’s always been against divorce, just like Kirk, who only remarried after he was widowed,” continues the pal. “She and Kirk always agreed on that – but now he’s not around, she’s realised the older she and Michael get, the bigger the age gap gets.”
While Catherine has no interest in dating again, she is looking forward to “dating herself ”, and designing her own range of lifestyle products is a big part of that.
“Everything I have designed has truly been a passion project,” she told the Mail on Sunday newspaper. “I wanted to take this passion a step further and create a brand that’s beautiful and luxurious, while still being attainable.”
Friends say Catherine’s business hasn’t been an overnight thing, but she’s now seeing it as a way out of her marriage.
“She’s been working on expanding Casa Zeta-jones for over a year now,” adds the pal. “It wasn’t anything serious until she turned 50 and decided she’s not going to be left behind. She’s not quitting acting but it has to be the right script and it has to win awards, so she’s being very selective.
“In the meantime, she’s got a chance at being happy and expressing herself with this new venture. Opening up creatively to do all this design work has been a huge confidence boost for her.
“Catherine really loves being able to express herself. She’s beginning to see a very bright future ahead of her
– and whether she’s married or not doesn’t matter as much as it used to.”