Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones "are taking time apart" after 13 years of marriage, it has been confirmed.

The actress's publicist told the BBC the couple had taken the decision in order to "evaluate and work on their marriage".

Douglas, 68, and Swansea-born Zeta Jones, 43, married in 2000 after meeting in France two years earlier.

They have two children - Dylan, 13, and Carys, 10.

The pair have both struggled with health problems in recent years.

Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, while Zeta Jones sought treatment for bipolar disorder in 2011 and again earlier this year.

At this year's Cannes Film Festival, Douglas claimed his condition - which is now in remission - had been caused by oral sex.

The couple share the same birthday, 25 September, and met at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998.

They had their first child in August 2000, and married three months later in a lavish ceremony at New York's Plaza hotel, where guests included Goldie Hawn, Christopher Reeve, Jack Nicholson and Brad Pitt.

OK! magazine paid £1m for exclusive access to photographs of the day, but rival magazine Hello! spoiled the scoop by publishing pictures taken by somebody pretending to be a guest or a waiter.

A long legal battle followed in the UK, with the couple arguing that Hello! had invaded their privacy.

The case was eventually resolved in 2007, when the House Of Lords ruled Hello! had breached OK!'s confidentiality.

Prior to the wedding, the couple reportedly signed a pre-nuptial agreement, which entitles Zeta Jones to £1m for every year of their marriage in the event of the relationship coming to an end.

Douglas insisted on the contract after his first wife, Diandra, was awarded £44m in their divorce.

Speaking to the Mirror earlier this month, the actor said his biggest regret was not ending his first marriage sooner. He had married Diandra in 1977 and they separated in 1995, but did not file for divorce until 2000.

"I have nothing against her and in fact I'm very fond of my first wife," he said, "but we should have ended that marriage eight or 10 years earlier".

"It took me too long to realise that if you go to a marriage counsellor to resolve problems, it's in his interest to keep the marriage going."

In the same interview, Douglas paid tribute to Zeta Jones, who had given him "this second chance to have a family".

"The thing I've learned about getting older is you can't take love for granted," he said. "You protect it, nurture it and it grows and after one's initial, physical emotional aspects, it becomes deeper."

The star, whose films include Wall Street and Basic Instinct, recently made his post-cancer return to the big screen playing Liberace in the biopic Behind The Candelabra.

Zeta Jones, an Oscar-winner for her role in Chicago, is currently starring alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Bruce Willis in popcorn action film Red 2.

Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones "are taking time apart" after 13 years of marriage, it has been confirmed.

The actress's publicist told the BBC the couple had taken the decision in order to "evaluate and work on their marriage".

Douglas, 68, and Swansea-born Zeta Jones, 43, married in 2000 after meeting in France two years earlier.

They have two children - Dylan, 13, and Carys, 10.

The pair have both struggled with health problems in recent years.

Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, while Zeta Jones sought treatment for bipolar disorder in 2011 and again earlier this year.

At this year's Cannes Film Festival, Douglas claimed his condition - which is now in remission - had been caused by oral sex.

The couple share the same birthday, 25 September, and met at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998.

They had their first child in August 2000, and married three months later in a lavish ceremony at New York's Plaza hotel, where guests included Goldie Hawn, Christopher Reeve, Jack Nicholson and Brad Pitt.

OK! magazine paid £1m for exclusive access to photographs of the day, but rival magazine Hello! spoiled the scoop by publishing pictures taken by somebody pretending to be a guest or a waiter.

A long legal battle followed in the UK, with the couple arguing that Hello! had invaded their privacy.

The case was eventually resolved in 2007, when the House Of Lords ruled Hello! had breached OK!'s confidentiality.

Prior to the wedding, the couple reportedly signed a pre-nuptial agreement, which entitles Zeta Jones to £1m for every year of their marriage in the event of the relationship coming to an end.

Douglas insisted on the contract after his first wife, Diandra, was awarded £44m in their divorce.

Speaking to the Mirror earlier this month, the actor said his biggest regret was not ending his first marriage sooner. He had married Diandra in 1977 and they separated in 1995, but did not file for divorce until 2000.

"I have nothing against her and in fact I'm very fond of my first wife," he said, "but we should have ended that marriage eight or 10 years earlier".

"It took me too long to realise that if you go to a marriage counsellor to resolve problems, it's in his interest to keep the marriage going."

In the same interview, Douglas paid tribute to Zeta Jones, who had given him "this second chance to have a family".

"The thing I've learned about getting older is you can't take love for granted," he said. "You protect it, nurture it and it grows and after one's initial, physical emotional aspects, it becomes deeper."

The star, whose films include Wall Street and Basic Instinct, recently made his post-cancer return to the big screen playing Liberace in the biopic Behind The Candelabra.

Zeta Jones, an Oscar-winner for her role in Chicago, is currently starring alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Bruce Willis in popcorn action film Red 2.


I'm not really surprised by this news---I was actually expecting to see trouble earlier.

Wow you beat me to this.

CZ-J has never really done it for me. I don't believe that I would party with her.  8-P

Howard, she's all yours...  :P

Wow you beat me to this.

CZ-J has never really done it for me. I don't believe that I would party with her.  8-P

Howard, she's all yours...  :P


Nah, that's quite alright, I don't want her.

Nah, that's quite alright, I don't want her.


That's something I never thought I'd hear.  ;D

Dating when you're famous is hard! Well, at least I think so.

The UK's Mirror reports that  Michael Douglas' mouth is what got him in the doghouse with CZ-J.  :-[

That's something I never thought I'd hear.  ;D


She got kids. I'm not taking care of any brats. ::)

The UK's Mirror reports that  Michael Douglas' mouth is what got him in the doghouse with CZ-J.  :-[



He should've used a condom.

Taking a break?  I thought Douglas took a break 20 years ago!

She got kids. I'm not taking care of any brats. ::)


Wow, Howard.  Kinda harsh, dontcha think?  Nothing wrong with not wanting kids but not all kids are brats.

Wow, Howard.  Kinda harsh, dontcha think?  Nothing wrong with not wanting kids but not all kids are brats.


I just not financially stable to take care of them.

Sorry if that was a bit harsh. :(

I just not financially stable to take care of them.

Sorry if that was a bit harsh. :(


If you were with CZJ, you wouldn't need to worry about being financially stable.  She has plenty of money.  ;D

He should've used a condom.


I don't think a condoom would have prevented what ailed Michael Douglas.  :P

You can't get...that...by doing...that...with your wife!
::)

You can't get...that...by doing...that...with your wife!
::)


I wonder if he's got secret warts inside his mouth. ZZiinnnnngg!!

You can't get...that...by doing...that...with your wife!
::)


If she's loaded with HPV you can...  8-P

If you were with CZJ, you wouldn't need to worry about being financially stable.  She has plenty of money.  ;D


and I wouldn't have to work at Pathmark!  ;D

why work when I have a rich wife at home. ;)

I don't think a condom would have prevented what ailed Michael Douglas.  :P


lip balm?

If she's loaded with HPV you can...  8-P


or genital warts.

and I wouldn't have to work at Pathmark!  ;D

why work when I have a rich wife at home. ;)


Yeah but if she has HPV or genital warts you might STILL find yourself spending a lot of time at the Pathmark pharmacy counter.  ;D

Yeah but if she has HPV or genital warts you might STILL find yourself spending a lot of time at the Pathmark pharmacy counter.  ;D


She would have to come with me.

Who do they think they're fooling with the "take a break" BS? I mean, seriously, has any "Hollywood marriage" EVER survived after "taking a break"? Why not just say "getting a divorce" or "legally separating" because we all know that's what's happening....

She would have to come with me.

Simultaneous orgasms? :D

Simultaneous orgasms? :D


to the pharmacy.  ::)

If she's loaded with HPV you can...  8-P


Oh...I see!

Well, I was never a smoker, and I don't want to give TMI, but I did my share of canyon-yodeling, so if I get the other big C in the gullet...

:-\\