Michael Douglas praises Catherine Zeta-Jones as they mark joint birthdays at Ryder Cup

Michael Douglas, 81, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 56, celebrated their joint birthdays on Thursday while in New York for the Ryder Cup Celebrity Golf Tournament at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale. Douglas posted a birthday tribute to his wife, writing, “To my birthday sister—what a joy celebrating another year with you!” alongside a smiling selfie of the pair. The post underscores a public display of affection between two of Hollywood’s longest-married power couples as they enjoy a rare joint milestone during a busy week.

Catherine responded to her husband’s message with a loving reply of her own, posting, “Happy birthday darling❤️ I can’t think of anyone else to share a birthday with.” The couple were seen at the course as Catherine competed in the celebrity event, before heading out for an evening celebration. The public posts and the photos underscored a warm, affectionate celebration between the longtime couple, who count Dylan, 25, and Carys, 22, among their children.

Douglas and Zeta-Jones, who are approaching their 25th wedding anniversary on November 18, tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at New York’s Plaza Hotel in 2000. They have weathered public doubts about their age gap and marriage, with Zeta-Jones describing their union as rooted in “love and fun.” She told The Sun last month that they’d faced skepticism but remained committed, adding that she is excited to reach 25 years together. “We’ve been married 25 years, it’s something to celebrate. And they said it would never last!” she recalled, noting that the milestone is meaningful given the scrutiny they’ve faced over the years. She also recalled the sense of partnership and growth over nearly a quarter-century and said the milestone feels like the culmination of a shared journey.

The Welsh actress, who has long pursued golf, enjoyed the tournament and appeared in good spirits despite the Celebrity Ryder Cup outcome. Friends and fans snapped selfies with her as she participated in the event, and she looked stylish in golf attire throughout the day. The couple’s public appearances have long been a point of fascination for fans, particularly as they balance high-profile careers and family life. Catherine has highlighted the importance of time together, especially as she juggles acting commitments with personal life.

In addition to marking a major personal milestone, Zeta-Jones has signaled that work commitments may shape how they celebrate. She told The Sun that she would be filming season three of Netflix’s Wednesday, in which she plays Morticia Addams, and that a party could be planned around the holidays due to the tight shooting schedule. “I’ve been working a lot this year and he’s been so supportive. I think we’re going to be doing a party around the holidays because I’ll be shooting season three. It’s such a short period of time I have off,” she said. The couple have previously described their relationship as a steadfast partnership through the years, including a period of separation in 2013 that followed Douglas’s tongue cancer diagnosis and Zeta-Jones’s bipolar disorder diagnosis. They reconciled in 2014, and the pair have since spoken about the strength they’ve drawn from each other, even amid demanding careers.

Douglas and Zeta-Jones have been candid in reflecting on the inevitable ups and downs of marriage. In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, Zeta-Jones acknowledged the realities of living with the same person and waking up beside them every day. “It’s impossible for there not to be ups and downs if you live with the same person and wake up with them every day. I’ve been waking up to Mike for nearly 25 years. I love being married but it’s a crazy thing when you really think about it,” she said, adding a light-hearted note about the material trappings that can come with a long life together before noting that the core of their relationship rests on respect and mutual support.

As the Ryder Cup week unfolded, the couple’s fans continued to follow their celebrations, with Catherine recently sharing glimpses from the star-studded weekend on social media. The 25th wedding anniversary, set to take place in November, is shaping up as a larger celebration of a partnership that has endured both professional demands and personal trials. The couple are parents to Dylan, 25, and Carys, 22, and their public remarks and appearances over the years have helped maintain the image of a modern Hollywood romance that has withstood time and scrutiny.