Catherine Zeta-Jones drew a clear line early in her relationship with Michael Douglas: if they were going to keep dating, she wanted monogamy. In Douglas' new memoir, One Helluva Ride, he recalls that the actress gave him a choice — continue seeing other women or end those relationships and be with her exclusively. Douglas says he chose Catherine, making five phone calls that same day.
Catherine Zeta-Jones gave Michael Douglas an ultimatum
Douglas was newly separated from his first wife, Diandra, when his relationship with Zeta-Jones began developing in 1998. According to his memoir, he was seeing five other women at the time, with the relationships spread across different cities.
Zeta-Jones, however, did not want to become another relationship in that rotation. Douglas recalls that she made her position straightforward: if they were going to continue, she wanted an exclusive, monogamous relationship.
Douglas says he asked her to wait while he made five quick phone calls. By the end of that day, he had told the other women he was seeing that he had met someone and would no longer continue those relationships.
Why Catherine's boundary changed the relationship
The significance of the story is less about the number of phone calls than what it says about the beginning of Douglas and Zeta-Jones' relationship. Their courtship was moving quickly, but Zeta-Jones wanted clarity before taking it further.
Douglas has described himself at the time as a single man coming out of a long marriage. In his account, the women he was seeing knew he was separated and were not asking him for a commitment. Zeta-Jones was different: she explicitly asked for one.
He chose to accept the condition.
Michael Douglas was already captivated by Catherine
Douglas says his interest in Zeta-Jones began before they formally met. He had seen an early screening of The Mask of Zorro, released in 1998, and was struck by her confidence and screen presence.
The pair later met at the Deauville American Film Festival in France while Douglas was promoting A Perfect Murder. Douglas has recalled being impressed by more than her appearance, describing her as smart, funny and self-assured.
The evening became memorable for another reason. Douglas has said that, after dinner with Zeta-Jones and her Zorro co-star Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, he boldly told the actress that he would be the father of her children.
They eventually became engaged on New Year's Eve in 1999 and married at New York City's Plaza Hotel on November 18, 2000.
Five calls became the beginning of a 25-year marriage
The relationship that began with that decisive conversation has now lasted more than a quarter century. Douglas and Zeta-Jones share two children, Dylan and Carys, and have navigated major professional and personal changes together.
The couple also experienced a brief separation in 2013 before reconciling. Douglas has recently spoken about how the time apart helped them understand what they wanted from their marriage and ultimately find their way back to each other.
That history gives the monogamy story a different meaning in hindsight. What could have been a short Hollywood romance became a long-term partnership.
The memoir puts Catherine at the center of Douglas' turning point
One Helluva Ride is not only a career memoir. Douglas uses it to revisit the decisions, relationships and experiences that shaped his life. His account of meeting Zeta-Jones presents her as a turning point in his personal life.
Current coverage of the memoir also shows how candid Douglas has been about relationships before and after his marriage to Zeta-Jones. He has discussed past affairs, his first marriage, family challenges and the difficult period surrounding the couple's 2013 separation.
Douglas has also said that Zeta-Jones has not yet finished reading the memoir. He nevertheless says he has no regrets about being candid in the book.
Catherine Zeta-Jones' boundary was about exclusivity, not publicity
It would be easy to frame the episode simply as a sensational celebrity-romance story. The more useful reading is that Zeta-Jones established a personal boundary before committing to the relationship.
Douglas could have continued his existing dating life. Instead, according to his own account, he ended those relationships and chose to pursue an exclusive relationship with Zeta-Jones.
That decision became one of the defining early moments in a marriage that has now lasted more than 25 years.
What happened after the five phone calls?
After Douglas ended the other relationships, his courtship with Zeta-Jones continued largely across long distance for several months. Their relationship became increasingly serious, leading to their engagement in 1999 and wedding in 2000.
The couple's story has included two children, successful film and television careers, health and family challenges, a separation and reconciliation. Their longevity is one reason the newly revealed details from Douglas' memoir are attracting attention now.
What Michael Douglas said about Catherine Zeta-Jones' monogamy ultimatum
Douglas' account is clear: Zeta-Jones told him she was not interested in dating him if he continued dating other people. He responded by making five calls to women he had been seeing and ending those relationships.
The episode happened at the beginning of their relationship in 1998 and became a pivotal moment before they married in 2000.
Frequently asked questions
Did Catherine Zeta-Jones ask Michael Douglas to be monogamous?
Yes. According to Douglas' memoir, Zeta-Jones told him she wanted an exclusive relationship if they were going to continue dating.
How many women did Michael Douglas say he called?
Douglas says he made five quick phone calls to women he had been seeing and told them he had met someone and would no longer continue those relationships.
When did Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones meet?
They met in 1998 at the Deauville American Film Festival in France after Douglas had seen Zeta-Jones in The Mask of Zorro.
When did Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones get married?
They married on November 18, 2000, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
How long have Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones been married?
They have been married since 2000 and reached their 25th wedding anniversary in November 2025.
What is Michael Douglas' memoir called?
His memoir is titled One Helluva Ride and covers his career, family, relationships and life with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Sources: PEOPLE, Vanity Fair, The Times, Fox News and recent reporting on Douglas' memoir and his relationship with Zeta-Jones.
