A Lighthearted Approach to Personal History
Academy Award winner Michael Douglas has expressed complete understanding regarding his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and her lack of interest in reading his recently released autobiography, One Helluva Ride. The memoir delves into various aspects of the actor's life, including past romantic involvements with fellow actresses Kathleen Turner and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
During a recent guest appearance on the Today show, Zeta-Jones was asked if she intended to peruse the pages of her husband’s new book. The 57-year-old actress responded with characteristic humor: «As much as I love my husband, when I’m tired at night, I have no intention of reading about him — at all.» She did, however, encourage others to pick up a copy, quipping that readers should «hold onto their cowboy hats.»
Accepting a Past Before the Present
When asked by host Jimmy Kimmel if it was ultimately for the best that his wife decided to skip the book, the 82-year-old actor jokingly agreed. Douglas highlighted the 25-year age gap between them as a key factor in his perspective.
«We got a 25-year age difference,» Douglas explained. «I looked back and was like, alright, Catherine was seven years old at the time and wouldn’t know her husband for 25 years ahead.» He further noted that Zeta-Jones has had to come to terms with the reality that he lived a significant portion of his life long before they first crossed paths, a timeline he humorously marked by her breakout role in The Mask of Zorro.
Revealing Decades-Old Secrets
The memoir has garnered attention for confirming long-standing rumors about his relationship with Kathleen Turner. In the book, Douglas describes Turner as «smart, funny and sexy,» admitting to an immediate mutual attraction during the filming of Romancing the Stone.
For four decades, the pair publicly denied being romantically involved, even during their subsequent work together on The Jewel of the Nile and The War of the Roses. Douglas now admits those denials were fabrications intended to protect his family at the time. Reflecting on their connection, he wrote:
«The truth is that during the production of Romancing the Stone, Kathleen and I fell hard for each other and began a relationship. It wasn’t a fly-by night affair; it grew naturally from how closely we were working together, how much pressure we were under, how much we respected and cared for one another, and how attracted we were to each other.»