Michael Douglas Has A Bizarre (& Disturbing) Nickname For His Wife Catherine Zeta-Jones

Michael Douglas' sweet birthday post for Catherine Zeta-Jones didn't exactly have the intended effect. The "Basic Instinct" star, who interestingly enough was actually born on the same day as his longtime wife, took to Instagram on September 25, 2025, to celebrate their special day, writing, "To my birthday sister — what a joy it is to celebrate another year with you." While some commentators found the message adorable, others expressed confusion about Douglas' choice to call his wife his sister. Granted, they do share a birthday, but the actor could have used more appropriate verbiage to describe the happy coincidence. 

Thankfully, the "Wednesday" star didn't refer to her husband as her birthday brother in her own post, gushing, "Sharing this special day with you is once in a lifetime!" Douglas, who notably also used the bizarre nickname in his Instagram birthday tribute back in 2024, is no stranger to making strange remarks to, or about, his wife. In fact, Zeta-Jones and Douglas kicked off their unlikely age-gap relationship in an equally strange way. In a November 2020 Instagram post celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary, "The Game" star admitted that he had started crushing on Zeta-Jones after watching her in "The Mask of Zorro." 

So, the "Wall Street" star was naturally overjoyed to learn that he could meet the actor at a film festival in France, in 1998. However, when they grabbed drinks, Douglas boldly told her, "You know, I'm going to be the father of your children." Naturally, Zeta-Jones wasn't pleased, clarifying that she was certain the rumors about him were true, and simply left.

During a 2016 appearance on "The Jonathan Ross Show," Michael Douglas confirmed that he fixed the big blunder from his first date with Catherine Zeta-Jones with a sweet romantic gesture. The "Falling Down" star had roses and an apology note delivered to a remote island in Scotland, where she was filming "Entrapment," and eventually won her over. However, Douglas arguably didn't learn from his past mistakes, later making another strange remark about his wife. While reflecting on his 2010 oral cancer diagnosis in a June 2013 interview with The Guardian, Douglas implied that he had contracted it by performing oral sex. 

Confusingly, in the next breath, the Oscar winner proclaimed that the cause of his cancer was also its cure. The following month, a spokesperson for the "Chicago" star informed CNN that the beloved couple were taking a break. However, they got their marriage back on track shortly afterward. In a 2015 chat with Event Magazine, Douglas addressed his past controversial comments: "I so regretted any embarrassment that it caused Catherine and her family," (via The Guardian). 

Notably, another strange aspect of Zeta-Jones' marriage to Douglas is their 25-year age gap. However, during a 2022 appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," the Welsh star revealed that they always had a "25" topper on their birthday cake to honor both it and the couple's shared special day. And yet, Zeta-Jones admitted that she "hates" sharing a birthday with Douglas because it made gift-giving a pain. Still, the couple has one of the most successful age-gap relationships in Hollywood.