Woman_39_s_Day_Australia_-_January_04_2021

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HOLLYWOOD DIVORCE CRISIS

I

n November,

Catherine

Zeta-Jones and

her husband

Michael Douglas

made a big song and

dance about

surviving their

rollercoaster

relationship to

reach two decades

of marriage.

But sources tell

Woman’s Day that

behind the scenes

they’re hanging on

for dear life, and

insiders predict they’ll

split once their kids go

out into the world on

their own.

At the centre of their

troubles, says an insider,

is money – namely, that

they seem to be spending

it faster than they can

make it.

“It looks like Catherine

has gotten used to their

bank account seeming

bottomless,” says a source.

“She regularly redecorates,

and she’s been haemorrhaging

money into her new lifestyle

website that Michael privately

worries might be a money pit.

“He has tried to hint that

neither of them are working like

they used to, so the incoming

cash flow is diminishing. He’s

trying to get ahead of it by selling

the properties they rarely use,

and has explained why – but

the problems are still there.”

STILL WORKING

At the age of 76, sources say

Michael appears to be “working

like a dog” to maintain their

extravagant lifestyle.

“Michael is finding himself

slightly less bankable now

because of his age, which has

been a bitter pill to swallow,”

says the source. “His advisers

are suggesting he focuses more

on lucrative streaming network

deals and TV appearances, but

he’s a film purist

and prefers

the movies. I think that’s a relic

of his dear old dad [the late Kirk

Douglas], who in his later years

always advised Michael to stay

away from television because

it’s so disposable.”

Kirk’s death in February at

the age of 103 was another

catalyst for Michael and

Catherine’s bond diminishing,

says our insider.

TOUGH TIMES

“Catherine was very

close with her father-in-

law and most of her

face time with her

husband involved

discussing Kirk’s

health and needs,”

says the source.

“When he died,

Catherine and

Michael’s reason for

closeness seemed

to die with him.”

It’s not the first

time the marriage has

faced hardship – the

pair almost split in 2011,

when Catherine, 51, was

struggling with her bipolar

II disorder and Michael was

suffering from throat cancer.

“Back then, they were each

focused on their own turmoil

and there was talk of a divorce,

but they pulled it back on

track,” says the source. “I’m not

sure if they could do it a second

time, especially if money is the

problemthistime.

“CatherineandMichaelare

growing apart in this phase of

their life. I imagine they’ll stick

it out for their kids [Dylan, 20,

and Carys, 17], but they’re about

to fly the nest, so after that, and

the loss of Kirk, there isn’t

much tying them together. Then

it will be a fight over their millions

• I bet then Catherine will show a
  keen interest
  in the nitty-
  gritty of their
  finances.”

The couple

with Michael’s

dad Kirk and

stepmum Anne

in 2010.

Catherine’s

spending habits

have taken their

toll on her

husband.

Trouble

in

paradise ‘They are

growing apart

in this phase

of their life’