Michael Douglas has learned to appreciate Catherine Zeta-Jones more as he’s gotten older.
The 69-year-old actor says his brief split from his wife last year has helped him become more focused on his marriage and family life and realise how much Catherine and their kids, son Dylan, 13, and 11-year-old daughter Carys, mean to him.
He told PEOPLE magazine: "A lot of it has to do with age. When you’ve accomplished a certain amount in your career, you’re not so focused on your ambitions. It makes you appreciate – and hopefully you do that sooner rather than later – the value of your partner."
Likening marriage to a blossoming flower, the ‘Last Vegas’ star added: "Like a lovely orchid, or anything else that’s nurtured, marriage prospers and grows – but if it’s ignored, it withers."
While Michael and Catherine quickly reunited after a few months of separation, the star has opened up about how he broached the tough subject with their children and feels honesty is the best policy.
He explained: "I’m more and more prone to tell kids just about everything. There’s been a whole school of thought about things you should not tell children – if there’s a problem in a relationship, [people say], ‘Let’s not let the kids know.’ Kids know. They know everything. I would err on the side of pretty much sharing everything. They can digest it, you know? It’s life."
Michael Douglas: Ageing has made me better husband
