WE’RE EMPTY NESTERS & Loving It!

The Oscar winner says he and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones are enjoying life at around home without any kids around

The Douglas house just got a whole lot quieter. In September, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones’ son, Dylan, 19, returned to Brown University for his sophomore year of college and their 16-year-old daughter, Carys, recently moved away to boarding school. But Michael and Catherine, 50 — who wed in November 2000 — are enjoying their freedom. “All of a sudden, the moment came and we go, ‘What are we going to do now?’” recalls the 75-year-old star of Netflix’s hit comedy series The Kominsky Method. “We can do anything, so we’re really embracing that.” Here, Michael (who says he’s “so proud” of his son Cameron, 40, with first wife Diandra Luker, for how he’s managing his recovery for drug addiction) talks to In Touch about this new phase of life, his thoughts on the college admissions scandal (in which celebrities Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are accused of using bribes to get their kids into prestigious colleges) and his super-high dating standards for his daughter.

A lot of parents dread having their kids out of the house….

MD: With Carys it was unexpected, but she really wanted to take off. You spend a lot of time talking about your kids…so now we’re traveling a lot and seeing a lot of shows.

Your father, legendary actor Kirk Douglas, is going to be 103 next month! Do you have any big plans yet for that birthday?

MD: Unfortunately, we aren’t going to be there with him. We have a long-planned Christmas trip. I did a big one for the 100th! Then 101, you know, and it’s going on and on and it’s incredible! But even he’s feeling like it’s tough because he says there’s nobody left around, you lose all your friends.

Your son is attending an Ivy League school. What do you think of the parents involved in the college admissions scandal?

MD: I mean, it’s just egregious. I think it was as much about the self-image for the parents as it was for their kids. Dylan had serious dyslexia issues, and had to go to special schools earlier on and worked really hard. I’m so proud of him.

This season on The Kominsky Method, your character’s daughter is dating an older man. What do you think of that storyline?

MD: Chuck [Lorre, the show’s creator] is so smart. It turns out that it’s payback time for a father who has always been dating younger women.

Would it bug you in real life if Carys came home with a guy twice her age?

MD: Talk about having daddy issues. [Laughs] I’m trying to be more open now to a lot of those things. Catherine and I just talked about it — we’re getting very close to the first boyfriend. Carys has been very picky, but I know it’s right on the cusp.

Will anyone be good enough for her in your book?

MD: I don’t think I’ll be that bad — if they’re not a total idiot. I anticipate she’s got very good taste and she’s savvy. So I would try to support her, but I will be watching very carefully! ◼