The Stunning Transformation Of Catherine Zeta-Jones
Award-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones' career has undoubtedly evolved in the decades since she made her Hollywood debut — and the same can be said about her outlook on life. "Something about getting older was that I don't take a lot of sh** from people," she told InStyle in 2022. "I don't take it in a very gracious way. And it's only something that comes from experience."
With a resume filled with everything from niche television productions to critically acclaimed musicals, Zeta-Jones has built quite an impressive legacy for herself — and she's worked hard to get there. In addition to her enduring career, Zeta-Jones balances motherhood and her marriage to a fellow A-lister.
As grateful as she is to have achieved all she has in her life, Zeta-Jones told Mirror 2018 that her humility can only go so far. "I'm sick of being humble. ... No sorrys. Enough," she said. "All that is important to me now is my work. That's what I love, and the rest of my life is a joy because I've got two beautiful kids and a healthy, happy husband. It's all good, and I'm not going to be humble for that either." From little kid with show business dreams to queen of the Oscars stage and beyond, this is the transformation of Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Catherine Zeta-Jones' 'fearless' attitude led to a tap dance career
Born on September 25, 1969, in Swansea, Wales, Catherine Zeta-Jones did not hail from a showbiz family. With her mother working as a seamstress and her father owning a sweets factory, Zeta-Jones experienced a relatively humble childhood.
Reflecting on her upbringing in a 2021 chat with the New Yorker, Zeta-Jones noted that she was bold and outgoing as a kid. "I was very excitable and kind of, I don't know, performy, as a child," she said. "I wasn't shy. As I got older, I got shy. But when I was young, I was fearless." Her mother decided to encourage her "performy" side and reached out to a local dance teacher. "At four years old, my mother bought me tap shoes. I put them on, she tied them up, and that was it," Zeta-Jones recalled.
The future Oscar winner's dance career only took off from there. She picked up ballet lessons, and at age 11, she won a national tap dance competition. As she told Larry King years later, "I'm a good tap dancer."
She garnered buzz after starring in a West End production
Catherine Zeta-Jones' early experience in tap dancing launched her acting career, and she began acting in West End productions once she turned 9. From first being part of the cast in "Annie," Zeta-Jones went on to take part in other stage shows like "Bugsy Malone" and "Pajama Game." As her career continued to blossom and grow, she decided to drop out of high school at age 15. After earning her Equity card, Zeta-Jones went on to star in a musical that brought her one step closer to becoming an acting sensation.
When she was 17, Zeta-Jones starred in West End's production of "42nd Street." She was the second understudy for Peggy Sawyer, a bright-eyed character whose big dream was to make it on Broadway. Ironically enough, the 17-year-old was fortunate enough to play the role due to the main lead being off on vacation. Thanks to David Merrick, a well-established theater producer, Zeta-Jones went on to portray Peggy Sawyer for two years and become something of a local celebrity. As she told Sunny Hostin on a 2021 episode of "The View," "It was one of those moments that was just life-changing."
She headed to America to continue to build her career
Following her performance in "42nd Street," Catherine Zeta-Jones set her tap dancing shoes aside and dove headfirst into her silver screen career. While this proved to be a winning move in the long run, Zeta-Jones Parade that she initially wasn't so sure about Hollywood stardom. "I never thought it was in the cards for me," she said.
That apprehension was all for naught; she hit the ground running in 1991. "I felt like I was in a box until a French director [Philippe de Broca] cast me in his first movie [1990's '1001 Nights']," she told the publication. "A year later, I did a very successful UK series called 'The Darling Buds of May.' The first episode aired on a Sunday night; on Monday morning, my life changed. I couldn't even ride the tube."
Although she'd garnered success in the United Kingdom, the prying nature of the media began to frustrate Zeta-Jones. As she continued to build her acting resume, tabloids seemed more interested in her personal life — and she wasn't happy about that. In a Q&A segment with Bustle in 2021, Zeta-Jones explained that this frustration ultimately led her to move to America. "I felt like people forgot that I was an actor; I was becoming a celebrity," she stated. "I didn't want to be a celebrity; I want to be an actor."
The Mask of Zorro changed her life in more ways than one
After playing Sala in 1996's "The Phantom," Catherine Zeta-Jones' feet were firmly planted in Hollywood. She went on to catch the eye of Steven Spielberg, who had a hand in helping her attain one of her more notable film roles. "I came here to film a TV version of 'Titanic,' and when it aired on CBS, Steven Spielberg happened to see it and invited me to fly to Mexico to audition for 'The Mask of Zorro,' she told InStyle in 2021. "The next thing you know, I got my big break working not only with the wonderful Antonio Banderas but also with one of my idols, Anthony Hopkins, who is from my home country [of Wales]."
Her portrayal of Elena in the critically acclaimed film helped her breakthrough in America and planted the seeds for what came in the future. In addition to boosting her career, her role in "The Mask of Zorro" played a key part in her romance with Michael Douglas. "Ironically, after we wrapped, Michael went to a private screening of Zorro in Hollywood. He saw me onscreen, and it's how we eventually got to meet and fall in love," she stated. "So that film did not just change my career, it changed my life entirely."
She married Michael Douglas in 2000
After being dazzled by her in "The Mask of Zorro," Michael Douglas learned that Catherine Zeta-Jones would make an appearance at the Deauville Film Festival in 1998. Through this, Douglas eventually connected with Zeta-Jones at a bar and made a bold proposal that could have fallen flat. "I said to her after about half an hour, 'You know, I'm going to be the father of your children,'" he explained during his 2016 appearance on "The Jonathan Ross Show." "It sounded good, and she said, 'You know, I've heard a lot about you, and I've seen a lot about you, and I think it's time that I say goodnight.'"
After sending a bouquet of roses to her in Scotland, the two eventually started dating. Within a year, Douglas proposed to Zeta-Jones in Aspen, Colorado, and promptly tied the knot at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in 2000. Zeta-Jones and Douglas have been married ever since, and the two seem as in love as ever.
In a 2022 interview with Extra (via Hello!), Zeta-Jones gushed about her longtime partner. "I lucked out big time," she said. "He's a wonderful husband. He's a wonderful father. He happens to be a wonderful actor. But for us, he's just Michael."
She signed a huge contract with T-Mobile in 2002
After "The Mask of Zorro," Catherine Zeta-Jones found herself starring in other hits such as "Entrapment," "High Fidelity," "Traffic," and "America's Sweethearts." Although Zeta-Jones would make rounds in her next film inclusion, Zeta-Jones shocked the world beforehand when she signed a multi-million dollar deal with T-Mobile.
In 2002, T-Mobile announced their partnership with Zeta-Jones. CEO Kai Uwe Ricke said in a statement, "Catherine's hard work, dedication, and engaging personality have given her strong international appeal as a respected actor who lives life to the fullest — on her own terms — and make her the perfect choice to represent T-Mobile." As a result, Zeta-Jones made regular appearances in multiple T-Mobile commercials from the early 2000s.
Zeta-Jones' partnership with T-Mobile was pretty good to her pocketbook. Her contract was for a cool $10 million, which made her one of the top-earning actors through sponsorship deals at the time. T-Mobile decided to part ways with Zeta-Jones in 2006. She reprised her role as a T-Mobile spokeswoman in 2009.
She won her first Oscar in 2003
After giving scene-stealing performances in "The Mask of Zorro," "Entrapment," and "Traffic," Catherine Zeta-Jones would strike gold again with 2002's "Chicago." Based on the beloved musical of the same name, director Rob Marshall helmed a film adaptation featuring Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly. The movie received acclaim across the board, and Zeta-Jones' portrayal of the incarcerated nightclub singer raked in the accolades. In 2003, she was nominated for her first Oscar. At the 75th Academy Awards, she took home the award for best actress in a supporting role.
The movie gave Zeta-Jones an opportunity to show off her musical theater skills on the big screen, and she certainly did not disappoint. "That's me sliding across the table, going down a pole, falling off a piano, doing cartwheels. We were right there, down in the trenches," she told the Hartford Courant. "It was a lot of fun. A lot of painful fun."
What's more, Zeta-Jones helped shape the character's aesthetic. It may be impossible to imagine Velma Kelly without her jawline-grazing bob, but evidently, the film's producers initially had another hairstyle in mind. However, as Zeta-Jones shared on a 2021 episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," she fought for Velma's bob. "For me, when I saw Velma Kelly, I saw that blunt, Louise Brooks look. ... You know, as an actor, you know the period. They didn't have beach waves, you know, in 1930s Chicago," she iterated. "And I won that battle."
Catherine Zeta-Jones became a mother of two
After meeting her husband in 1998, Catherine Zeta-Jones wasted no time building a family. While Michael Douglas has a child from his previous marriage, Zeta-Jones would give birth to her first child, Dylan Douglas, on August 8, 2000. On April 20, 2003, just months after she won her first Oscar, Zeta-Jones introduced her daughter, Carys Zeta Douglas, to their ever-growing family.
In 2010, Zeta-Jones told Express that being a mother wasn't always a part of her plan. "I wasn't the kind of girl who always wanted babies, I never played with dolls — I didn't know if I had it in me," she explained. "It was scary becoming a mother — it's the unknown. I was 30 when I had my first." Despite her initial fears, Zeta-Jones embraced motherhood.
With both Dylan and Carys entering their early stages of adulthood, the two may follow in their parents' footsteps. "They know what celebritydom is. They know the good, the bad, warts and all of that," she said on a 2021 episode of "Today." "But their passion is about acting as a craft, and they've done every theater camp ... My kids went off to summer camp every year, to theater camp with all the Broadway kids, and held their own very, very well, I have to say."
Catherine Zeta-Jones was transparent about her struggles with mental health in 2011
Aside from voice acting for Disney's "Sinbad: The Legend of the Seven Seas" and reprising her role as Elena in "The Legend of Zorro," Catherine Zeta-Jones' yearly work as an actor became more sparse throughout the late 2000s. After starring in "The Rebound" in 2009, Zeta-Jones wouldn't return to the screen until 2012. This was partly due to the immediate emergencies she had to tend to in her personal life. In 2010, her husband, Michael Douglas, was diagnosed with tongue cancer. While Douglas would eventually overcome his condition, Zeta-Jones received a diagnosis of her own in the following year.
In 2011, People magazine published an interview that addressed Zeta-Jones' struggle with bipolar II. Following her husband's diagnosis, a close friend reported that she was dealing with depression behind the scenes. This eventually led to her diagnosis, for which she shared that she'd be seeking treatment in a mental health facility in New Canaan, Connecticut. "This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them," she stated. "If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it. There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help." In 2013, Zeta-Jones went into treatment a second time. In a statement to Today, her publicist said this was a "proactive" measure.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
She became picky about the projects she chose to take part in
After her bipolar diagnosis, Catherine Zeta-Jones pulled back a bit on her acting career. Although she'd continue to stay busy, Zeta-Jones told the Belfast Telegraph in 2013 that she'd become picky about potential acting gigs since it meant she'd have to spend time away from her family. "My daughter is 10, my son is 12, and these are such precious years to me. You never get them back," she stated. "So, if I'm going to leave my family for any length of time, it had better be for a role I haven't played before, with great people. It had better be fun. Otherwise, to be honest with you, I would prefer to stay at home."
This became apparent as Zeta-Jones only starred in "Dad's Army," "Feud," "Cocaine Godmother," and "Queen America" from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, film production shut down in the wake of the pandemic, and acting opportunities all but vanished. But in a July 2020 interview with "Lorraine," Zeta-Jones noted that she was more than okay with patiently waiting for her next acting gig to come. "I had such a fantastic career on stage and on film, and at this point in my life ... I'm really looking forward to finding the right thing, you know," she said. "So I feel very blessed I can wait that out."
Catherine Zeta-Jones launched her own brand
In 2020, the film industry was one of many industries that all but came to a screeching halt during the COVID-19 shutdowns. Many actors were left with a lot of free time on their hands, and some decided to spend more time on other ventures. Catherine Zeta-Jones was one such movie star. In 2020, the Oscar winner unveiled lifestyle and beauty lines through her brand, Casa Zeta-Jones. The brand was first launched in 2017 as homeware line, and it has since expanded.
In a July 2020 chat with "Lorraine" presenter Ross King, Zeta-Jones shared that her shoe collaboration with Butterfly Twists was one of the projects that was underway before the global shutdown. "I've been working on this for such a long time, and then the whole world stopped," she said. "So we just put everything on hold." In a separate chat with People, she noted that as eager as she was to work on the project, she knew it was important to pump the brakes. "As things got progressively worse and the news got progressively grim, I just didn't feel that this was the time to go, 'Oh, let's do this.' We were very sympathetic of the time we live in," she said.
In addition to shoes and housewares, Zeta-Jones' brand includes everything from makeup products to activewear.
Catherine Zeta-Jones scored a role that's 'very cool' to her kids
Catherine Zeta-Jones is no stranger to an adaptation of a classic. In 2022, two decades after she tore up the silver screen in the film version of "Chicago," she played Morticia Addams in two episodes of Netflix's hit series "Wednesday." She was pleased as can be to take on the role of "The Addams Family" matriarch. "I'm hoping that they continue with Wednesday's story forever, so I can grow old playing Morticia," she told InStyle in 2022. "I mean, nothing would make me more happy than to be 80 years old and still playing Morticia."
That same year, Zeta-Jones took part in the Disney+ series "National Treasure: Edge of History," serving as a follow-up to the Disney films starring Nicholas Cage. As a self-described history buff, Zeta-Jones quickly accepted the role of Billie Pearce. Although this was a notable gig for the actor, she told Access Hollywood that her inclusion in the series earned her cool points from her children, Dylan and Carys Douglas, whom she thought wouldn't recognize the significance of this opportunity. "I became very cool when I told them I was doing a TV series for 'National Treasure,' she said. "I said, 'When you were about four or five, there were these really good movies that came out with Nicholas Cage and Harvey Cartelle,' ... They went, 'We know. That is so cool mama!'"