Catherine Zeta-Jones was born on 25 September 1969, in Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the daughter of Dai Jones, who formerly worked for 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)_ (qv). 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)_ (qv), the miniseries _Catherine the Great (1996) (TV)_ (qv) and a larger part as the seductive Sala in _The Phantom (1996)_ (qv) before landing her breakthrough role playing the fiery Elena opposite 'Anthony Hopkins (I)' (qv) and 'Antonio Banderas' (qv) in _The Mask of Zorro (1998)_ (qv). She starred in many big-budget blockbusters like _Entrapment (1999)_ (qv), _The Haunting (1999)_ (qv) and _Traffic (2000)_ (qv), for which many believed she was robbed of an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. In November 2000 she married actor 'Michael Douglas (I)' (qv). She gave birth to their son Dylan Michael in August 2000.
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Catherine Zeta-Jones
- 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' (qv) and 'Anthony Hopkins (I)' (qv)". And they go, "Ooh, good". And that's it.
- After Scottish actor 'Sean Connery' (qv) presented her with the Oscar: A Scotsman giving a Welsh girl an Oscar - oh my God!.
- After _The Mask of Zorro (1998)_ (qv), 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)_ (qv)]: 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)_ (qv)].
- I wish I was born in that era: by dancing with 'Fred Astaire' (qv) and 'Gene Kelly (I)' (qv), 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 (I)' (qv) the actor and producer with two Oscars on the shelf, but 'Michael Douglas (I)' (qv), 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.
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