The surprising news that Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were separated was revealed in August, following Zeta-Jones’s stay in a mental health facility for treatment for bipolar II disorder. The two haven’t been seen together in months, and Zeta-Jones made her first public appearance since a source confirmed the separation rumors on Sunday, without Douglas.
Zeta-Jones reportedly attended two red carpet ceremonies in China on Sunday. The “Chicago” actress was in China to participate in a ceremony for a new film studio. Zeta-Jones wasn’t the only big-name celebrity at the ceremony–she was joined by the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Beckinsale.
Meanwhile, Douglas was 6,000 miles away in Los Angeles getting ready for his Emmy nomination for “Behind the Candelabra,” an HBO mini-series the actor starred in as Liberace. The series received 10 Emmy nominations, including “Outstanding Lead Actor” and “Outstanding Art Direction.”
Douglas and Zeta-Jones have been married since 2000. Since that time, the couple has endured a lot of hardships, including treating Douglas’s cancer, dealing with Zeta-Jones’s mental issues and dealing with Douglas’s son’s drug abuse and imprisonment. When the separation rumors were raised, Douglas admitted that the two are living separately, but said that things are “fine” and that the separation is only “temporary.” Douglas also said, “‘I have a crisis at home? No…we are fine. My wife and I are…fine.” So far neither Douglas nor Zeta-Jones have filed for legal separation or divorce.
According to the source that confirmed the separation, the situation is more than temporary. “He concluded that his marriage was over in all but name and he saw no point in continuing to live a lie,” the source told Daily Mail.
While there haven’t been any updates on the situation between Douglas and Zeta-Jones, many fans of the couple hope they will be able to work things out since they have two children together. For the meantime, though, it looks like the two are more than fine with going their own separate ways.
Main image via Wikimedia Commons; Article image via YouTube
