Tee for two as Zeta-Jones home for Freedom of City ceremony
HOLLYWOOD couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have been spotted back in south Wales as the actress prepares to be honoured by her home city later today.
Lucky fans spotted the pair around the city as the Swanseaborn actress prepared to receive the freedom of the city.
The Oscar-winner will host an evening of entertainment at the Brangwyn Hall after the special ceremony, which will feature anecdotes, stories and tales of her early life in Mumbles and right through her career.
On Monday morning the couple called in at Langland Bay Golf Club, where Michael played a round of golf with his wife’s brother and father, before she joined them later for a drink in the clubhouse.
Andrew Minty, director of golf at Langland Bay Golf Club, said: “Catherine’s brother and dad are already members of the club, so we arranged to go out and play with them and Michael at 10.30am on Monday.
“Catherine came down to meet us later on and we went into the clubhouse and had a couple of drinks and they were given honorary membership, meaning they can come down here and play as much as they want to.
“They were absolutely fantastic and so down to earth. They said that they’re going to be coming into town a lot more regularly.
“It was quite a shock for our members to see us coming off the course with an Oscar-winner playing with us. A lot of the members came on to them and had photos and autographs. It was absolutely brilliant.
“Michael has been playing golf in St Andrews and has a handicap of 16 so he’s a pretty good player.
“Catherine didn’t play on this occasion but they’ve played here a number of times before over the last 10 years.”
People enjoying a meal out in Mumbles were astonished to see Catherine and Michael dining not too far away from their home on Monday night.
The pair posed for photos with diners at French restaurant Bistrot Pierre.
Catherine is a CBE and was set to accept the Honorary Freedom in a glittering ceremony yesterday.
Swansea council agreed on June 27 to offer the accolade to one of the city’s highest-profile ambassadors for her services to Swansea, to charity, theatre and film.
Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea council, said: “We are thrilled that Catherine Zeta-Jones is returning to her roots to accept the highest honour the city can bestow.
“Catherine is one of our own and has always stayed in touch with her home city. Catherine is one of the most recognisable people on the planet and the people of Swansea have followed her career with great interest.
“So it’s brilliant news that in our city’s 50th anniversary year Catherine will be returning to pick up this award.”
Catherine began her career on the stage in London before becoming a TV star in the popular adaptation of HE Bates’ The Darling Buds of May.
She won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Velma Kelly in the screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Chicago. Catherine was also nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Critics’ Choice Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
During her career, Catherine has been an ambassador for Swansea and has worked with a number of charities.
In 2010, she was awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her services to the film industry and charity.
Catherine and her husband have a son, Dylan, and a daughter, Carys.
Catherine won the Tony Award for Lead Actress in a Musical for her critically acclaimed Broadway debut as Desirée Armfeldt, in Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music.
She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the wife of a drug-runner in Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic.
Catherine recently starred in the Facebook Watch series “Queen America,” a dark comedy, centered around the beauty pageant coach Vicki Ellis. And most recently she starred in the telefilm Cocaine Godmother, based on the true-life story of the notorious drug lord Griselda Blanco. Her other starring roles include the films Ocean’s 12, The Mask of Zorro, Entrapment and The Terminal.