According to People magazine, Hollywood power couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are taking time off from their marriage. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have separated.
The cover of the new People magazine said it all: “Their Marriage Crumbles, Hard Times, Hurt Feelings.”
The marriage hit hard times when Douglas suggested to a reporter in May that his throat cancer was caused by having oral sex. Reports assumed he was talking about his wife.
People magazine senior writer Sharon Cotliar told INSIDE EDITION, “Catherine was embarrassed. Those were comments that were picked up around the world and as many women can imagine, it was embarrassing."
Douglas later went on to say he was exposed to the cancer-causing virus before he met Zeta-Jones, who is facing her own battle with bi-polar disorder.
Cotliar said, "He talked about the fact that she would be leaving treatment, which is something she wanted to be kept private."
The couple, who live in an apartment building on the posh Upper West Side of Manhattan on Central Park, have not been seen in public together since last April, leading to lots of speculation there was serious trouble in the marriage.
On May 21, Douglas traveled alone to the Cannes Film Festival to promote his HBO movie about Liberace, that's when he made his shocking remarks about what caused his throat cancer.
"It isn't the sole cause, but it certainly exacerbated existing tensions," said Cotliar.
On July 11, a stunning Zeta-Jones was photographed alone.
"It was very unusual, she usually doesn't walk the red carpet solo. Michael is always there," said Cotliar.
Then, on August 16th, Douglas was seen at the airport in Los Angeles taking the couple's two kids on their annual vacation to Canada. Douglas was patted down by airport security before getting on his flight.
Cotliar said, "This summer was different. Catherine stayed at home and Michael went to Canada with the kids."
He's reportedly now on a yacht off the island of Sardinia in Italy. Zeta-Jones is said to be with their children in her native Wales.
The couple was married in a lavish star-studded ceremony at The Plaza Hotel 13 years ago.
Cotliar said, "Michael and Catherine are simply taking a break. There are no lawyers involved and no one has filed for divorce, no one has even filed for legal separation."
