A Relaxed Perspective on the Memoir
Academy Award winner Michael Douglas has expressed complete understanding regarding his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, opting not to read his newly released autobiography, One Helluva Ride. The book features candid revelations about the actor's past romantic history, including affairs with actresses Kathleen Turner and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
During a recent interview, Zeta-Jones noted that while she fully supports the book—even joking that others should «hold onto their cowboy hats» while reading it—she has no personal interest in reading about her husband's past during her downtime. When asked by Jimmy Kimmel if he thought her decision was for the best, Douglas humorously agreed, admitting it was likely the right call.
The Reality of an Age Gap
Douglas explained that his life before meeting Zeta-Jones is a part of his history that he has been transparent about in the memoir. He reflected on the 25-year age difference between them, noting:
«We got a 25-year age difference. I looked back and was like, alright, Catherine was seven years old at the time and wouldn’t know her husband for 25 years ahead. I think she’s had to accept the fact that having this kind of age difference, you may have had a life before you ever saw her for the first time.»
Revealing Decades-Old Secrets
The memoir finally addresses long-standing rumors regarding Douglas's relationship with actress Kathleen Turner. For four decades, the pair consistently denied any romantic involvement, despite intense onscreen chemistry in films like Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile, and The War of the Roses.
In the book, Douglas admits that those public denials were intentionally misleading. He writes:
«That was a lie. It was a lie meant to protect my wife and son, a lie we told the world for 40 years. The truth is that during the production of Romancing the Stone, Kathleen and I fell hard for each other and began a relationship. It wasn’t a fly-by night affair; it grew naturally from how closely we were working together, how much pressure we were under, how much we respected and cared for one another, and how attracted we were to each other.»