Michael Douglas Recalls Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Ultimatum to Dump Five Women

When Michael Douglas crossed paths with Catherine Zeta-Jones at the Deauville American Film Festival in France in 1998, he was fresh off a 1995 separation from his first wife, Diandra Luker, and juggling non-monogamous relationships across multiple cities. But the Chicago star made her intentions immediately clear, delivering a stern ultimatum that forced the actor to completely overhaul his romantic life.

Douglas Recalled Catherine Zeta-Jones Demanding Monogamy

“When I courted Catherine, she told me, ‘If we are doing this, you need to clean your act up,’” Douglas recalled during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, according to Hello! magazine.

At the time, Douglas admitted on the British talk show that he “was a little surprised” by his own sprawling dating footprint, noting that “it was very easy to get comfortable with co-stars and sometimes that got carried away.” Faced with Zeta-Jones’ demand for monogamy, Douglas detailed in his new memoir, One Helluva Ride, that he had to swiftly pick up the phone.

Clearing the Slate Across Multiple Cities

“That day, I called each one to say I’d met somebody and would no longer be able to continue seeing them,” Douglas wrote, confirming that he dumped five women who all lived in different cities. According to the actor, “They all took it well.”

Two years after that initial meeting in France, Douglas and Zeta-Jones tied the knot at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in 2000. They have since welcomed two children, son Dylan, 26, and daughter Carys, 23, both of whom are actors. Douglas also shares son Cameron, 47, from his first marriage.

Weathering Separation and Health Battles

The couple faced a brief separation in 2013 following Douglas’ battle with tongue cancer and Zeta-Jones’ treatment for bipolar disorder. Yet, as Douglas noted in his memoir, he “never gave up hope” that they would reconcile.

“I love Catherine in a way that I have never loved any other woman,” Douglas wrote. “She’s my wife, my best friend, and my life partner. I could never lose her.”

Zeta-Jones Admitted She Has Not Finished Reading Memoir

While Douglas recently confirmed to Page Six that Zeta-Jones was reading his memoir, the actress admitted on the Today show on October 8 that her busy schedule has kept her from finishing it. “As much as I love my husband, when I’m tired at night, I have no intention of reading about him. At all,” she said.