Catherine Zeta-Jones Dismissed Michael Douglas at 1st Meet & He Apologized — After 24 Years They Still Go on Dates

Despite an age difference of 25 years and an initial refusal, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have been together for 24 years. Although they had a short break, they are happy and have shared the secret to their long relationship.

In 1998, while promoting the film "A Perfect Murder," actor Micheal Douglas knew he would have one chance to talk to the enchanting Catherine Zeta-Jones. The two were both at the Deauville American Film Festival when Micheal seized his opportunity.

He spoke to his publicist about arranging a meeting with her, and to his luck, she agreed. They met in a bar and spoke briefly before Catherine had to go make her rounds for the movie "Entrapment." Before leaving, though, she promised him they would meet later for a nightcap.

After the actress finished her work, she kept her word and returned, and they spent a while talking and getting to know one another. After enjoying her company for a time, Micheal decided to be perfectly honest. He turned to her and said candidly:

"You know, I'm going to be the father of your children."

Contrary to what he expected, this line didn't go down very well with the actress, and she responded by being honest as well. She told him that she had heard stories about him and his antics, and she thought it was time for her to go to bed.

So, she left Micheal steaming in the embarrassment of his social slip-up while she went to bed. The movie star knew he had made a mistake and doubted he would ever get the chance to fix it. Luckily, a little while later, he had the opportunity to apologize.

Micheal Fixed His Faux Pas

Micheal knew that his tasteless comment would need a grand gesture to fix. So, when Catherine arrived at the Isle of Mull in Scotland, her humiliated admirer bought a big bouquet of roses and had them sent to her with a personal apology for his behavior.

Earlier, Micheal announced that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer.

The scheme worked, luckily, and she forgave him. So, they started talking again and found they got along very well after all. Two years later, on November 18, 2000, the two got married, and Micheal did turn out as the father of her children.

The two actors share a son, Dylan Douglas, and a daughter, Carys Douglas. Micheal also has a son from his previous marriage named Cameron Douglas. The two have been together since they first married, and despite the 25-year age difference, they seem to be in it for the long run.

Some might speculate that the age difference would be tricky to navigate in a long marriage. However, the two actors say they have found ways to manage any conflict that may arise effectively. That's not to say they don't have rough patches. Catherine commented:

"With any relationship, it wouldn't be normal if there weren't any ups and downs. The constant is love and respect. We've never, ever lost our sense of humor, and we enjoy each other's company."

The actress opened up about how they make their marriage last, saying they find mutual respect critical and it's imperative to give each other space. They've had to practice patience throughout the years, which has helped them have a long and happy union.

The Couple's Biggest Rough Patch

Although they are happily married at the moment, there was a time when the two decided to go their separate ways. In 2013, the pair announced they would take a break to reevaluate their marriage, although Catherine apparently wanted a breather earlier than that.

The two have figured out how to make things last despite their rough patch a few years ago.

Earlier, Micheal announced that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. He went on to say the cancer was most likely caused by the human papillomavirus, which he had contracted earlier. He neglected to say that he contracted the virus before marrying Catherine.

After Catherine found out about Micheal having HPV, and when he was diagnosed with cancer because of it, she decided to call it quits. They separated to figure out where their marriage was heading and to give each other some time to consider what they wanted.

After a time apart, though, they both admitted that they were happier together, and they decided to work on their marriage and sort out any feelings of resentment. In April 2014, the two reconciled after eight months apart. Micheal commented:

"True love takes work. Love is an extraordinary feeling that comes from the bottom of your soul, but has to be nurtured, you know. The thing I've learned about getting older is you can't take love for granted."

Micheal said the reason they were able to work out their differences was that they were both willing. Many people believe that a marriage can't recover from a blow like the one they had. To this, he replied that if both people decide to work together, they can always save their marriage.

Reunited and Recovered

Catherine and Micheal managed to save their marriage, and the "Ant-Man" actor also beat his throat cancer. His wife also announced that she suffers from bipolar II disorder and shared that she was getting help and learning to manage it.

The two have figured out how to make things last despite their rough patch a few years ago. They also say their relationship has become stronger after working through it. Catherine also shared a bit about respecting each other:

"My husband and I spend a lot of time together, because unlike so many couples, we've never had a 9-to-5 job where it's consistent. So we've had in our relationship huge amounts of time where we've been just us. We respect each other's space, and our humor is just long-lasting."

They have also been spotted going on date nights and investing time in each other. Catherine has also taken to Instagram, where she congratulated her husband on winning an award for his show "The Kominsky Method." The actress posted:

"Congrats to my hubby for his SAG Award nomination."

Accompanying the post was a photo of Micheal resting on a couch. On top of the sofa was their dog relaxing with one foot on top of Micheal's head. They also posted about their shared birthday they celebrated on September 25.

Micheal and his wife spent the day with their family and shared pictures of them blowing out their candles together. They also enjoyed a helicopter ride together. Catherine posted, along with a few photos, "After 24 years of celebrating our special day together, I still look forward to it."