Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’ Marriage Stronger Than Ever After Split

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas are about to celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary, and their marriage is now “stronger than ever” following a temporary separation.

The couple, who met at the Deauville Film Festival in 1998 and got married at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in November 2000, have been making public appearances together, showing their love for each other.

However, not many people may remember that they announced a brief split in 2013.

They have two children together, Dylan, 22, and Carys, 19.

At the time of their split, Catherine's representative released a statement saying, “Catherine and Michael are taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage.

There will be no further comment.”

The reason behind their split was never explicitly disclosed, but Michael referred to it as “a little bump in the road” during an interview with Event magazine in 2015.

It was speculated that the split occurred after Michael was diagnosed with tongue cancer, which he suggested was a result of oral s**.

He expressed regret for any embarrassment caused to Catherine and her family, explaining, “What I was trying to say was that there is a s**ually transmitted virus called HPV, but there is a vaccination that they recommend to all kids before they become s**ually active so they don't catch HPV, which is a cause of certain types of cancer – cervical cancer, tongue, and throat.”

Michael later acknowledged his mistakes and admitted to taking Catherine for granted.

He said, “First you have to admit that you made a mistake, then dealing with it is easy.

Of course, it's important to make mistakes, as long as you grow from them.”

He emphasized the importance of focusing energy on one's family rather than strangers.

Their separation was short-lived, with Michael announcing the following month that they were “working things out.”

So, what saved their marriage?

Both Catherine and Michael have attributed their successful reconciliation to working together.

Michael mentioned on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2015 that they were now “stronger than ever” because both of them were committed to making their relationship work.

He acknowledged that every couple faces difficult times, but being in the public eye magnifies the challenges.

Michael emphasized that working things out requires effort from both parties.

He said, “It can't be a one-way street.

But I'm crazy about her.

And yeah, I think every couple has their difficult times.

The only problem is, as you well know, we're all in the public eye, and it tends to get a little more exposed than most.”

After recovering from tongue cancer, Michael gained a deeper appreciation for marriage and his children.

He mentioned, “You have a much deeper appreciation of marriage, of your children – you see everything a little bit clearer, and a little brighter.”

Catherine also shared her perspective on working through their issues.

She acknowledged that ups and downs are inevitable when living with the same person every day.

However, she believes that constant love, respect, a sense of humor, and maintaining a strong connection are the secrets to a happy marriage.

In other news, Avril Lavigne surprised everyone by wearing a rock T-shirt at a famous friend's wedding.