CATHERINE ZETA - JONES

Date of Birth
25 September 1969, Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Birth Name
Catherine Jones

Height
5' 6½" (1.69 m)

Mini Biography
Catherine Zeta-Jones was born on 25 September 1969, in Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the daughter of Dai Jones, who formerly owned a candy factory, and Pat Jones. Her brother David Jones (b. 1967) is a development executive and brother Lyndon Jones (b.1972) works at her production company. Catherine showed an interest early on in entertainment. She starred on stage in "Annie", "Bugsy Malone" and "The Pajama Game". At 15 she had the lead in the British revival of "42nd Street". She was originally cast as the second understudy for the lead role in the musical but when the star and first understudy became sick the night the play's producer was in the audience, she was given the lead for the rest of the musical's production. She first made a name for herself in the early 1990s when she starred in the Yorkshire Television comedy/drama series "The Darling Buds of May" (1991). The show was a smash hit and made her one of the United Kingdom's most popular television actresses. She subsequently played supporting roles in several films including Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992), the miniseries Catherine the Great (1996) (TV) and a larger part as the seductive Sala in The Phantom (1996) before landing her breakthrough role playing the fiery Elena opposite Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro (1998). She starred in many big-budget blockbusters like Entrapment (1999), The Haunting (1999) and Traffic (2000), for which many believed she was robbed of an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. In November 2000 she married actor Michael Douglas. She gave birth to their son Dylan Michael in August 2000 followed by daughter, Carys, in April of 2003.

Spouse
Michael Douglas (18 November 2000 - present) 2 children

Trivia
Is a trained singer and dancer.

Her father was the manager of a candy factory.

Became engaged to Michael Douglas in Aspen, Colorado. [31 December 1999]

Chosen one of 1998's Most Beautiful People by People Magazine.

Her first child with fiance Michael Douglas, a boy named Dylan Michael was born on 8 August 2000 about 6 p.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The baby weighed in at 7 pounds and seven ounces and measured 21-1/2 inches.

Sister of David A. Jones, an executive at Initial Entertainment group, the company that co-financed Traffic (2000).

Named after her grandmothers: Catherine Fair on her mother's side, and Zeta Jones on her fathers.

Catherine and husband Michael Douglas share the same birthday, 25 years apart. He was born 25 September 1944; she was born 25 September 1969.

Daughter-in-law of Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas.

Stepmother of Cameron Douglas.

Sister-in-law of Joel Douglas, Peter Douglas and the late Eric Douglas.

Her character in Traffic (2000) was changed to a pregnant woman, because Zeta-Jones herself was pregnant at the time with her son, Dylan.

Speaks Welsh fluently.

Mother is Irish, father is Welsh.

She portrayed Palene, the beautiful Thracian prophetess and woman of Spartacus, in Jeff Wayne's 1992 musical version of "Spartacus." The role of Spartacus was played by her future father-in-law, Kirk Douglas, in Stanley Kubrick's motion picture Spartacus (1960).

In the June 1998 of Yahoo! Internet magazine, she was listed as the number one actress being searched on Yahoo!.

Gave birth to her first daughter, named Carys Zeta Douglas, early Easter morning in New Jersey (April 20, 2003).

A traditional Welsh choir sang at her wedding.

Her wedding ring includes a Celtic motif and was bought in a Welsh town called Aberystwyth.

As a child, she was exposed to a virus that gave her breathing difficulties. This required a tracheotomy surgery, which ultimately left a surgical scar on her neck.

Is an avid fan of musicals, particularly the ones she saw as a child: Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968).

Thursday December 11 2003 she was a hostess, together with husband Michael Douglas, at the 2003 annual Nobel Peace Price Concert in Oslo Spectrum in Oslo, Norway.

Ocean's Twelve (2004) reunited her with previous colleagues Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Don Cheadle.

She is a spokesperson for Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics.

Was born in Swansea but grew up in the small seaside town of Mumbles in Wales.

Her production company is Milkwood Films, named after the play "Under Milkwood" by Welsh writer Dylan Thomas. She and Thomas are both from the same Welsh town, Swansea.

Her friend, singer Bonnie Tyler, sang at her wedding. Both Zeta-Jones and Tyler come from the same region of Wales.

She released the singles "For All Time" in 1989, "In the Arms of Love" and "I Can't Help Myself" in 1995 and a duet with David Essex, "True Love Ways", which was her only chart single. It appeared at #38 in the UK Top 75 singles chart in 1994.

Ranked #50 on VH1's "100 Hottest Hotties".

21 October 2004 - Filed lawsuit against the Spice House, "Reno's Friendliest Topless Cabaret" for the unauthorized use of her photo on its website.

On an awards show, speaking of her role of Velma Kelly in the movie Chicago (2002), she stated that while it was as exciting, it was almost as painful as giving birth to her son.

In 1992 the Columbia single 'For All Time' peaked at #36 in the UK charts; In 1995 she spent a week on the UK chart at #72 with 'In the Arms of Love'.

Ranked #68 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement.

Ranked #82 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" special supplement.

Was once engaged to Angus Macfadyen.

Was considered for the role of Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).

Was originally approached to play "Roxie" in Chicago (2002), but wanted to play Velma Kelly because of the song "All That Jazz". Renée Zellweger ended up winning the role of Roxie.

In 2004, she began a two year $20 million contract as the spokeswoman of T-Mobile.

Turned down the role of Claudia Nardi in the musical Nine (2009) when Rob Marshall refused to expand the part for the film. Nicole Kidman was later cast instead.

Was in consideration for the part of Satine in Moulin Rouge! (2001) but Nicole Kidman, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.

Born at 2:40 PM (MET).

The 2009 Sunday Times estimates her and husband Michael Douglas' net worth at $278 million.

Was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's 2010 Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.

Won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 2010 for her portrayal of Desiree in A Little Night Music.

Was seven months pregnant with her son Dylan when she completed filming on Traffic (2000).

Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Dylan in order to begin filming America's Sweethearts (2001).

Admitted herself into Silver Hills Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut on April 6, 2011 for a five-day treatment of her Bipolar II Disorder before leaving the hospital on April 11, 2011.

Her wedding dress was designed by Christian Lacroix.

Met her husband at Deville's Film Festival in September 1998, while she was promoting her upcoming film 'The Mask of Zorro'.

Catherine moved to London, from Wales, at age 15.

Acquired her first actor's guild card at the age of 15.

When she was 14, former Monkees star Mickey Dolenz was touring Britain in a musical that required the participation of local teens in each city it visited. She auditioned for the Welsh version of the show and won a chorus spot. She so impressed the producers that they whisked her off to London to star in a production of The Pyjama Game.

She began singing and dancing at the age of four, largely as a result of her involvement with the local Catholic congregation's amateur performing troupe. She began acting at age 11, playing the lean in a production of Annie and at 13 starred in a West End production of the musical Bugsy Malone.

Before moving to LA, she had a house in Fulham, London.

Her birth name is Catherine Jones, but she took her grandmother's name (on her father's side) because there were many others Catherine Jones, especially in her school class.

Listed on AskMen.com as one of the 99 hottest women (2002 #57) (2001 #5) (2003 #36).

The British press gave her the nickname "Catherine Zeta, The Maneater" due to her busy love life at the time.

Fluent in Welsh, French, English and Spanish.

Attended Dumbarton House School in Swansea.

In the 1980's, her parents won £100.000 at the game of Bingo and moved to St. Andrews Drive in Mayals, uptown Swansea.

Was originally approached to play "Roxie" in Chicago, but wanted to play Velma Kelly because of the song "All That Jazz". Renee Zellwegger ended up winning the role of Roxie.

Ranks #11 on Rateitall.com as one of people's favorite actresses. [April 2005]

Likes listening to soul music. Is a big fan of Gladys Knight. She also likes Elvis Presley and Van Morrison. Every Sunday morning for 15 years, her father woke her up to Elvis Presley singing "American Trilogy" or Van Morrison's "Moondance".


Personal Quotes
I used to go around looking as frumpy as possible because it was inconceivable you could be attractive as well as be smart. It wasn't until I started being myself, the way I like to turn out to meet people, that I started to get any work.

I like women who look like women. I hated grunge. No one's more feminist than me, but you don't have to look as if you don't give a - you know. You can be smart, bright, and attractive aesthetically to others - and to yourself.

In Wales it's brilliant. I go to the pub and see everybody who I went to school with. And everybody goes "So what you doing now?" And I go, "Oh, I'm doing a film with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins". And they go, "Ooh, good". And that's it.

After Scottish actor Sean Connery presented her with the Oscar: A Scotsman giving a Welsh girl an Oscar - oh my God!.

After The Mask of Zorro (1998), people spoke Spanish to me for ages. I'm Welsh but that movie instantly gave me a new ethnicity.

For marriage to be a success, every woman and every man should have her and his own bathroom. The end.

[on her duel/strip scene from The Mask of Zorro (1998)]: I kept thinking 'Thank God I have long hair in this movie'.

This film holds a lot of meaning to me, both professionally and personally. I actually met my husband when I was promoting the film in Deauville, France, and it was such an amazing time for me, being completely unknown, really, in America or in Mexico, where I shot the first one. It's a very important film for me and it's very close to my heart. [on The Mask of Zorro (1998)].

I wish I was born in that era: by dancing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, going to work at the studio dressed in beautiful pants, head scarves, and sunglasses.

"Did I want this role? That's like saying did I want to wake up in the morning wanting to breath!" on landing the part of Velma Kelly in Chicago.

I do think I'm lucky I met Michael. Not just Michael Douglas the actor and producer with two Oscars on the shelf, but Michael Douglas, the love of my life. I really do think it was meant to happen.

I like to feel sexy. I know my husband thinks I'm sexy. I think he is too. But I don't go out half-naked with 'sex' written across my back.

Humor and that wonderful word called 'charisma.' You cannot translate it. I can't nail it on the head, other than to just say that I'm completely over the top about my husband. - on what makes a man irresistible.

Yes, I was in love with my husband at first sight and still am. We have the most solid relationship.

I don't go into the triple-X sites. I'm certainly not going to pay money to see myself naked, when I can just go into the bathroom and whip it off for free. -speaking on the Internet and its fascination with celebrities and porno.

I'm more insecure than I ever let anyone know, sometimes you protect yourself with this kind of armor that people see more than they see you.

I was a chorus girl. That's all I ever wanted - to be onstage. I would queue up for auditions and then change my costume or put on a different leotard and audition again. It might take me two tries, but I always got the job. I figured out what they wanted.

[on playing Desiree Armfeldt in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: There's no jazzy hands, no high kicks, no fishnet stockings, but really that's what excited me. With most musicals you have to fill in the gaps, but here you have what's already a beautiful Chekhovian play, and the music is a bonus. The characterization is everything. It's not one of those shows where you can dig about three inches and come out the other end. You can keep digging and digging and digging.

[on singing "Send in the Clowns" in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: As an actor what do you do? You try to make it your own. It was never supposed to be a big song. It's very intimate, about a woman being told that she's not going to be with the love of her life. How are you supposed to sing when you're that deflated?

[on playing Desiree Armfeldt in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: I'd read the phone book with the people here, people of this caliber. I feel at this point in my life I'm in my second chapter. You have to be quite frank with yourself. There's that wonderful curve, and then this is the way it is: the second act. It's great that now I can go back to my roots but in a completely different way.

[on being awarded the CBE in June 2010] As a British subject, I feel incredibly proud, at the same time it is overwhelming and humbling. And my mum and dad are delighted beyond belief.

I didn't even think about movies where I came from. I wanted to be on the stage. When I was 10, I did Annie in the West End. I did Bugsy Malone when I was 11 and 12. And then at 16, David Merrick saw me in 42nd Street. I took over the lead and he cast me. I was there for two and a half years. Right now, these young kids are going crazy. I never had that because I had a work ethic. I had to turn up and be there six nights a week.


Salary
Traffic (2000) $3,000,000
Chicago (2002) $8,000,000.

Where Are They Now
(August 2005) Was on the winning European team of 'The All Star Cup' a celebrity version of golf's Ryder Cup. Michael Douglas was on the losing American Team.

(January 2010) Starring as Desiree in Broadway's comedy "A Little Night Music" with 'Angela Landsbury' directed by Trevor Nunn.

(June 2010) Mayfair, London, England