EXCLUSIVE: Michael Douglas 'Dead Drama' — Insiders Say 80-Year-Old's 'Creeping Mortality' is 'Elephant in Room' Between Him and 'Estranged' Wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 55
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones' marriage may be taking a hit due to their separate lives.
Sept. 24 2025, Published 5:40 p.m. ET
Michael Douglas is facing growing speculation about his health and marriage, with sources saying the 80-year-old actor's retirement and "creeping mortality" have become the unspoken strain in his relationship with Catherine Zeta-Jones, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Oscar-winning star, who unofficially confirmed in July he was stepping away from acting after nearly 60 years in the industry, has been seen holidaying alone while Zeta-Jones, 55, has reignited her career with major roles in Netflix’s Wednesday, Amazon’s upcoming Kill Jackie, and the feature film The Gallerist.
Living Separate Lives?
Douglas is said to be going down a different path than his wife.
Insiders tell us the couple, who celebrated their joint birthdays in September, are increasingly living separate lives.
One Hollywood source claimed: "It feels like they barely cross paths anymore. What no one wants to say out loud is that Michael's age and retirement hang over everything. He's living quietly at home, while Catherine is charging ahead in her career like someone decades younger."
Another added: "Michael imagined stepping back would give them more evenings together, but Catherine's busy schedule means she's rarely home, and he feels left on the sidelines."
Douglas, speaking candidly at a film festival in the Czech Republic earlier this year, admitted: "I've had a very busy career. Now, I have not worked since 2022, purposely, because I realized I had to stop. I'd been working pretty hard for almost 60 years, and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set."
While Zeta-Jones' career has been reignited, Douglas is said to be hanging back alone.
He also joked he was happy to "play the wife" while Zeta-Jones pursued her projects. But privately, sources say the adjustment has been harder.
One source close to the couple claimed: "Acting has always defined Michael. He's spent his whole life on film sets, so being sidelined while Catherine is buzzing with excitement about her projects is hard for him. Thoughts about aging and mortality weigh heavily and affect everything."
The pair, who married in 2000, have weathered health battles, Douglas' 2010 cancer diagnosis, and a brief separation in 2013 before reconciling. But friends say the recent shift – with their youngest children Dylan, 25, and Carys, 22, leaving home – has created new challenges. Zeta-Jones has spoken publicly about the adjustment to life as empty-nesters.
What's Next For The Couple?
The Oscar winner is thinking about his 'mortality,' according to sources.
"You forget how many conversations you sort of hide behind in terms of talking about your kids and what's going on next and this and that," she told one interviewer. "Then one day you just look at each other… we're 20 years now, so all those good years of paying attention to each other are paying off now."
Yet the renewed spotlight on the actress has not come without controversy. Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers earlier this month, Zeta-Jones joked about a 12-year-old fan who asked for her autograph while she was golfing.
"It was, like, really cute, and then I went, 'Haha. When I'm 70, this cute little boy will be like 33,'" she told the audience.
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Rumors the couple's marriage is falling apart have spread.
The remark drew backlash on social media, with some calling it "creepy" and "inappropriate."
Through it all, sources say Douglas has struggled with feeling left behind.
One insider claimed: "Michael never expected Catherine to give up her career, but he thought they'd share more time now. "Instead, he's often alone, facing the realities of being 80 – and, quite frankly, nearing death in a marriage that has died."
