Catherine Zeta Jones

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Catherine was born on September 25, 1969 in Swansea, Wales, UK as Catherine Zeta Jones. She is 5' 6½" [1.69 m] tall.

Back a few years ago I was surprised to find out that she was of Welsh decent. I always assumed that she was hispanic due to her complexion. Talk about judging a book by it's cover! I was an entire ocean off!

I think the first movie I saw her in was in Entrapment with Sean Connery. Good movie and the "young lady going through the laser beam trap" was the enticement of that movie and it was the first time it was done, as far as I know. Everyone else is a copy. I thought she did a great job in Oceans 12, though the story was a little too much. You have to watch it a few times before you finally "get it." Glad I waited for the DVD on that one.

And Michael Douglas is one... you know what. He is 25 years older than Catherine. If you have a daughter, just think about that one... but Michael must bring something to the game. Catherine is no dummy.

Factoids:

• Is a trained singer and dancer.
• Her father was the manager of a candy factory.
• Has a son, Dylan Michael Douglas and daughter Carys Zeta Douglas
• Named after her grandmothers: Catherine Fair on her mother's side, and Zeta Jones on her fathers.
• Catherine and husband Michael Douglas share the same birthday, 25 years apart. He was born 25 September 1944; she was born 25 September 1969.
• Daughter-in-law of Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas.
• Stepmother of Cameron Douglas.
• Sister-in-law of Joel Douglas, Peter Douglas and the late Eric Douglas.
• Her character in Traffic (2000) was changed to a pregnant woman, because Zeta-Jones herself was pregnant at the time with her son, Dylan.
• Mother is Irish, father is Welsh.
• She portrayed Palene, the beautiful Thracian prophetess and woman of Spartacus, in Jeff Wayne's 1992 musical version of "Spartacus." The role of Spartacus was played by her future father-in-law, Kirk Douglas, in Stanley Kubrick's motion picture Spartacus (1960).
• Had a traditional Welsh choir sing at her wedding.
• Her wedding ring includes a Celtic motif and was bought in a Welsh town called Aberystwyth.
• As a child, she was exposed to a virus that gave her breathing difficulties. This required a tracheotomy surgery, which ultimately left a surgical scar on her neck.
• Is an avid fan of musicals, particularly the ones she saw as a child: Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968).
• On December 11, 2003 she was a hostess with her husband Michael Douglas at the 2003 annual Nobel Peace Price Concert in Oslo Spectrum in Oslo, Norway.
• Was born in Swansea but grew up in the small seaside town of Mumbles in Wales.
• Her friend, singer Bonnie Tyler, sang at her wedding. Both Zeta-Jones and Tyler come from the same region of Wales.
• In addition to Michael Douglas, she also shares a birthday with Will Smith, Heather Locklear, Barbara Walters, Michael Madsen and the late Christopher Reeve.
• Was considered for the role of Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).
• Was originally approached to play "Roxie" in Chicago (2002), but wanted to play Velma Kelly because of the song "All That Jazz". Renée Zellweger ended up winning the role of Roxie.
• Was in consideration for the part of Satine in Moulin Rouge! (2001) but Nicole Kidman, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.
• Was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's 2010 Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.
• Won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 2010 for her portrayal of Desiree in A Little Night Music.
• Admitted herself into Silver Hills Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut on April 6, 2011 for a five-day treatment of her Bipolar II Disorder before leaving the hospital on April 11, 2011.
• Signed a pre-nuptial agreement whereby she will receive $3,000,000 for every year of marriage if her husband cheats on her. (Michael would be crazy to stray. -ed.)
• Met her husband at Deville's Film Festival in September 1998, while she was promoting her upcoming film 'The Mask of Zorro'.
• Acquired her first actor's guild card at the age of 15.
• Before moving to LA, she had a house in Fulham, London.
• Her birth name is Catherine Jones, but she took her grandmother's name (on her father's side) because there were many others Catherine Jones, especially in her school class.
• Fluent in Welsh, French, English and Spanish.
• Attended Dumbarton House School in Swansea.
• Likes listening to soul music. Is a big fan of Gladys Knight. She also likes Elvis Presley and Van Morrison. Every Sunday morning for 15 years, her father woke her up to Elvis Presley singing "American Trilogy" or Van Morrison's "Moondance".

Quotes:

• I used to go around looking as frumpy as possible because it was inconceivable you could be attractive as well as be smart. It wasn't until I started being myself, the way I like to turn out to meet people, that I started to get any work.
• I like women who look like women. I hated grunge. No one's more feminist than me, but you don't have to look as if you don't give a - you know. You can be smart, bright, and attractive aesthetically to others - and to yourself.
• In Wales it's brilliant. I go to the pub and see everybody who I went to school with. And everybody goes "So what you doing now?" And I go, "Oh, I'm doing a film with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins". And they go, "Ooh, good". And that's it.
• After Scottish actor Sean Connery presented her with the Oscar: A Scotsman giving a Welsh girl an Oscar - oh my God!.
• After The Mask of Zorro (1998), people spoke Spanish to me for ages. I'm Welsh but that movie instantly gave me a new ethnicity.
• [On her duel/strip scene from The Mask of Zorro (1998)]: I kept thinking 'Thank God I have long hair in this movie'.
• This film (Mask of Zorro) holds a lot of meaning to me, both professionally and personally. I actually met my husband when I was promoting the film in Deauville, France, and it was such an amazing time for me, being completely unknown, really, in America or in Mexico, where I shot the first one. It's a very important film for me and it's very close to my heart.
• "Did I want this role? That's like saying did I want to wake up in the morning wanting to breath!" on landing the part of Velma Kelly in Chicago.
• I do think I'm lucky I met Michael. Not just Michael Douglas the actor and producer with two Oscars on the shelf, but Michael Douglas, the love of my life. I really do think it was meant to happen.
• I like to feel sexy. I know my husband thinks I'm sexy. I think he is too. But I don't go out half-naked with 'sex' written across my back.
• Yes, I was in love with my husband at first sight and still am. We have the most solid relationship.
• I'm more insecure than I ever let anyone know, sometimes you protect yourself with this kind of armor that people see more than they see you.
• I was a chorus girl. That's all I ever wanted - to be onstage. I would queue up for auditions and then change my costume or put on a different leotard and audition again. It might take me two tries, but I always got the job. I figured out what they wanted.
• [on being awarded the CBE in June 2010] As a British subject, I feel incredibly proud, at the same time it is overwhelming and humbling. And my mum and dad are delighted beyond belief.
• I didn't even think about movies where I came from. I wanted to be on the stage. When I was 10, I did Annie in the West End. I did Bugsy Malone when I was 11 and 12. And then at 16, David Merrick saw me in 42nd Street. I took over the lead and he cast me. I was there for two and a half years. Right now, these young kids are going crazy. I never had that because I had a work ethic. I had to turn up and be there six nights a week.

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Find more Catherine Zeta Jones stuff here.

Find more Catherine Zeta Jones stuff here.