Catherine Zeta-Jones is happy to have new fans thanks to her role in Netflix’s runaway success “Wednesday.”
While promoting season 2 of the series, the actress stopped by “Late Night with Seth Meyers” on Sept. 5, when she dished on an experience with a much younger supporter.
“I’ve got this like new generation of fans,” she gushed. The Welsh bombshell, 55, recalled one encounter she had while golfing with her husband, movie star Michael Douglas, that especially got her to thinking about life.
“This really cute 12-year-old boy came up and asked for my autograph. And it was like really cute,” said Zeta Jones. However, her story took an uncomfortable turn when she shared, “And then I went huh, huh, when I’m 70, this cute little boy will be like 33.”
Her suggestive eyebrow raises insinuated that she was fantasizing about the boy one day replacing Douglas, 80. She jokingly reassured Meyers that her husband of 25 years was oblivious to her crude thoughts that prompted laughter from the live audience .
Since @PopBase has deleted the post – here's the screenshot & the video. pic.twitter.com/Vhwo8OyJYf
— Vasu Ericsson (@VasuEricsson) September 6, 2025
But online the reactions to the crass joke were mixed. One person found “The Mask of Zoro” star’s sense of humor inappropriate. They wrote, “Not cool to make jokes about children in this way. Disturbing!”
Similarly, her remarks were a red flag to a critic who commented, “Dont like her, something about her not right.” Others mentioned the double standard that allows men to make jokes about eyeing younger women in their defenses of the wise-crack.
“I think whats creepier is that her husband is 25 years older Lol. Now that’s creepy Yikes.”
Zeta-Jones’ ill-fated joke also reminded social media users of a bizarre interaction fellow Hollywood veteran Demi Moore had with a teenager. Video of Moore, then 20 years old, showed her kiss actor Phillip Tanzini multiple times on the lips during his 15th birthday. The actors worked together on “General Hospital.”
The viral moment even prompted comments about her and Douglas’ reunion. “Kept her maths skills sharp, so many years age gap in her own marriage being pointed out,” said one heckler. Zeta-Jones and the “Basic Instinct” lead share the same birthday, Sept. 25, and a 25-year age gap.
In a past interview, she shared, “We respect each other’s space, and our humor is just long-lasting” as the keys to their lasting romance despite their ages. She and Douglas are empty nesters, now that their kids, Dylan and Carys, are adults. Douglas is also the father of son Cameron, whom he shares with his first wife, Diandra Luker.
