Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas met for the first time in 1998. The couple married two years later, and on November 18, they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

While the couple has been getting a lot of questions about their age gap, the anniversary was all about celebrating. And as Zeta-Jones shared a picture of the first time they met, fans’ hearts melted.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones met for the first time at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998. In 2016, in an interview with Jonathan Ross, Michael stated he was a “total gentleman” to Catherine when they first met, but admitted that he was flirting with her.

“You know, I’m going to be the father of your children,” he told Catherine at the time, who wasn’t quite sure about the two of them together.

She replied, “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.”

The two stayed in touch, and in December the year after, they were engaged. Eleven months later, on November 18, 2000, Zeta-Jones and Douglas tied the knot.

Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas celebrate 25th wedding anniversary
In an interview with Access Hollywood, the actress revealed she still had the card from the bouquet of flowers Michael Douglas had sent her after the first meeting.

Over the years, not least when they first began dating, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have been asked many questions about their age gap. They are 25 years apart, and it has raised many eyebrows.

At the time they met, Michael Douglas was 54 and Catherine 29. Although they don’t care about the age gap, they have not been shy of speaking about the subject.

“We’re just very good with one another, we respect each other, and I never really feel that he’s 25 years older than me,” Catherine told The Telegraph in 2022. “I remember people saying, ‘When you’re 50, he’s going to be 75.’ Well, that’s just maths.”

She told the Wall Street Journal Magazine in 2021 that despite the age cap, their constant is “love and respect.”

On November 18, 2025, the couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Despite having, what Douglas said was, “a little bump in the road” as they split for a brief while in 2013, they have continued to be madly in love.

Zeta-Jones melt fans’ hearts with picture from first time they met
For the 25th anniversary, Catherine Zeta-Jones shared some throwback photos of the two together, including some from their wedding day.

“25 years ago today, I walked down the aisle,” Zeta-Jones wrote along the Instagram post. “The intoxicating aroma of flowers, the glow of the candles, the resounding harmonious Welsh choir, and you at the end of the long walk waiting for me, looking at me the way only you can. I love you today as I did then. Thank you sweetheart.”

Moreover, other photos included in the post were at an event where Catheirne and Douglas sat next to each other. It was from the first time they met back at the film festival in France.

Fans quickly took to the comments to congratulate the Hollywood couple on their big day.

“Happy Anniversary to the two of you I wish you both many more blessed years together,” one fan wrote.

Another stated, “Beautiful couple. Happy anniversary!” while a third admitted, “If I don’t get a love like that, I don’t want anything.”

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